Election primer: what voters need to know ahead of Oct. 19

With 34 days left before voters in Nickel Belt and Sudbury take part in the federal election, residents now have a range of electoral choices at the ballot box.

Six people have put their name forward in Sudbury, along with five hopefuls in Nickel Belt. In addition to the Conservative, Green, Liberal and New Democrats, there's a Communist Party candidate in Sudbury and a Marxist-Leninist in Nickel Belt.

And independent Jean-Raymond Audet – who ran in the October 2014 mayoral election and the February byelection in Sudbury – is back for another go at elected politics.

The only incumbent in the race – NDP MP Claude Gravelle – will open his Val Caron campaign office Tuesday. It's located at 3140 Highway 69 N. The launch will begin with a smudging ceremony by Ojibway Elder Tony Tyson followed by remarks from Gravelle. Phone 705-919-6380 for more information.

Liberal candidate Marc Serré opened his Hanmer office Sept. 10. His campaign can be reached at 705-588-8683. Aino Laamanen is officially running for the Conservatives in Nickel Belt. While no contact number for Laamanen is listed on the Elections Ontario website, according to the findaconservative.ca site, the riding association contact number is 705-522-2451.

David Starbuck is running for the Marxist-Leninists in Nickel Belt. His campaign can be reached at 416-253-4475.

Green candidate Stuart McCall and Sudbury Green David Robinson are sharing a campaign office at 450 Notre Dame Ave. Both campaigns can be reached at 705-675-6666.

New Democrat Paul Loewenberg, who's running in Sudbury, opened his campaign office Saturday at 1534 Lasalle Blvd. His campaign can be reached at 705-618-0630.

Tory hopeful Fred Slade's campaign office is located at 760 Notre Dame Ave. Call 705-222-2722 for more information.

Liberal Paul Lefebvre opened his 944 Barrydowne Rd. earlier this summer. His campaign can be reached at 705-586-8683.

Elizabeth Rowley is running for Communists in Sudbury and can be reached at 705-918-6008, while independent Audet can be contacted at 705-585-4334.

Elections Canada offices in each of Canada's 338 federal electoral districts are now offering full service hours, including the two area ridings. The Sudbury office is located at 125 Loach's Rd. and can be reached at 1-866-288-1327, while the Nickel Belt office is located at 3146 Laura Drive, Suite 6, in Chelmsford. Phone 1-866-256-8433 for more information.

The returning offices are now open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Voters can get information on the election, to register to vote or vote in advance polls.

Anyone who wants to vote ahead of time can do so at the returning office any day until Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. To vote, electors must bring proof of identity and address.

Advance polls are being held from Oct. 9-12 at neighbourhood polling stations. Your voter information card will tell you where to vote in your area, or call the returning office for more information.

Several candidates debates are scheduled in both ridings, beginning Sept. 24 with CBC's Sudbury debate at St. Andrew's United Church at 111 Larch St. beginning at 7 p.m. CBC 's Nickel Belt debate is Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. at Club 50 in Chelmsford.

The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) will host a Nickel Belt debate Oct. 1 at the Canadian Legion, 2200 Long Lake Rd., beginning at 7 p.m. The Sudbury debate takes place Oct. 13 at the Parkside Older Adult Centre on Durham St. beginning at 2.30 p.m.

The Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce is also hosting all-candidates debates in both ridings. The first for Nickel Belt takes place Oct. 5 at Forest Ridge Golf Course beginning at 7 p.m. The Sudbury event takes place Oct. 7, also beginning at 7 p.m., at College Boréal's concert hall.

The candidates:

Sudbury