On Nov. 21, 1988, three of every four Canadians who were eligible to vote on that day's general election actually cast a ballot. Since that peak of 75 per cent voter turnout, it's been all downhill – 69.7% in 1993, 67% in 1997, 64.1% in 2000, 61% in 2004, 65% in 2006 and an all-time low of 58.8% last fall.
One of the ways the federal government is trying to reverse that trend is by adding advance polling days ahead of the general election and by adding the number of polls open on one of those days.
The changes are part of Bill C-40: Expanded Voting Opportunities Act, tabled in the House of Commons last June. The Library of Parliament has just published the bill's legislative summary. Here are the key changes:
• Adds two new advance polling days. Electors will be able to vote on the two Sundays prior to e-day – normally held on a Tueday – in addition to the current advance polling days held on the Friday, Saturday, and Monday.
• Mandates that any polling station that would be open on Election Day would now also be open on the last advance polling day – the Monday.
Election are “normally” held on Monday. In 2008 it was on a Tuesday because of a holiday (Thanksgiving, I think).
the Act says:
Election dates
(2) Subject to subsection (1), each general election must be held on the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year following polling day for the last general election, with the first general election after this section comes into force being held on Monday, October 19, 2009.
2007, c. 10, s. 1.
Thanks! Chalk that up to typing to quickly. The point still stands, of course, adding two advance polling days and more polling stations on e-day-1 advance poll.
You should have a look at this, David.
Much has been made of the general decline of voter turnout in recent Canadian elections. The historical record presents a useful perspective on this trend. It is certainly true that the percentage of registered voters who cast ballots has declined- – especially since 1993. However, it is important to note the number of fluctuations over the years of the numbers and percentage of registered voters as a percentage of the whole Canadian population (as measured at the census prior to the election). When one computes the percentage of votes cast as a percentage of the whole population, then the decline is not nearly so dramatic. Indeed, the 45% level registered in the 2000 and 2006 elections is well within the range of 40-50% of Canada's total population seen since 1935. Even the most recent election in 2008 remains within that historical range.
It may just be that the enumeration process is finally registering the actual number of eligible voters and as a result are now seeing the actual participation rate in the country. Also, last year's participation rate may have been lower as a result of the new identification rules. I saw one person leave the polling station while I was there because they didn't have the proper ID.
What enumeration process? There is no longer an enumeration process. What we are seeing is a drop in registration of voters who don't own homes, who move around, rent, who are students, who are new to the country.
Without enumerators going door to door, many voters are not getting voting cards.
And the new rules are rather silly – a passport is good enough ID to get you back into the country (unless of course you're a black woman who looks slightly different from your 5 year old picture), but it's not good enough on it's own to allow you to vote.
No wonder people aren't voting. Pretty soon we'll be back to the 18th and 19th century in terms of voting, when only property owners could vote.
The enumeration process is now done off income tax returns and the number of registered voters now tops 70% of the population; the highest it has ever been.
Mr. Akin,
You do great coverage on the Hill. I'm wondering if you know if there are any current initiatives or mumblings about Compulsory Voting? I know Sen. Mac Harb had proposed legislation, but I haven't heard anything about this lately.
Cheers,
R. Mowat