Statement from Elections Canada:
OTTAWA, April 15, 2011 – The Special Voting Rules of the Canada Elections Act provide for the use of the special ballot to assist electors in a range of situations. Certain electors, including members of the Canadian Forces serving abroad and electors away from their ridings during a federal election (eg. snowbirds), can vote only by special ballot. The special ballot is also available to all electors who wish to vote by mail or at the local Elections Canada office. Because the rules governing the use of the special ballot are different from those for standard voting methods, Elections Canada generally uses the special ballot outside the local Elections Canada office in defmed circumstances to assist electors who face barriers to voting, such as electors in acute care hospitals or in isolated work camps in locations like Fort McMurray in northern Alberta.
“Initiatives of this nature are expected to be planned well ahead of the election,” said Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Marc Mayrand. “Parties are consulted, to avoid any confusion and to give them an opportunity to raise any possible concerns so that these may be considered and, where appropriate, addressed prior to conducting such initiatives.”
In light of the focus on youth and student electoral participation at the 41 st general election, and on efforts to increase voter interest and turnout among this group, a well-intentioned returning officer undertook a special initiative to create an opportunity for students at the University of Guelph to vote by special ballot. Once Elections Canada officials were made aware of the local initiative in Guelph, the returning officer was instructed not to engage in any further activities of a similar nature. All returning officers have received this instruction.
While the initiative at the University of Guelph was not pre-authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer, the Canada Elections Act provides that electors may apply for and vote by special ballot. A special ballot coordinator, appointed by the local returning officer, oversaw the activities at the University of Guelph. All information at our disposal indicates that the votes were cast in a manner that respects the Canada Elections Act and are valid.
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UPDATE: Shortly after Elections Canada issued this statement, the Conservative Party issued the following:
Statement by the Conservative Campaign
We welcome the statement by Elections Canada concerning voting on campuses and in the electoral district of Guelph.
As we observed this morning, voting is a democratic right and a fair election process is an equally important democratic right.
While the Elections Canada statement confirms that what happened in Guelph lacked proper authorization, we applaud the decision not to disenfranchise University of Guelph students because of errors by the local Returning Officer. These student voters should not suffer because of mistakes by the local election officials.
At the same time, we are pleased that the rules for special ballotting have been clarified and reconfirmed. The same rules should apply everywhere and be applied consistently across the country.
We urge all Canadians to vote, whether by special ballot, at advance polls, or on May 2.
The media reported that the Conservatives sent a letter to Elections Canada asking that the votes not be counted (although Guy Giorno just tweeted that the party didn't send a letter). If the media reports are right and the Conservative Party did send a letter asking that the votes not be counted, how can they now say that they applaud Election Canada's decision to not disenfranchise the U of Guelph students?
That would seem to be a contradiction.
I don't see a contradiction. Yesterday they (the CPC) contended that the poll was illegal and all ballots cast should not be counted. Today the CPC are informed by Elections Canada that although the advance/special poll was undertaken without permission, it was done within the laws of the act and the votes are legal. The CPC therefore issue a statement confirm that they are happy with the ruling and will abide by the decision.
I would be interested to question the impartial Elections Canada worker who decided to conduct this advanced/special poll. Just to see what they “believe” in. Personally, if a university student can't be bothered on Election Day to go and vote then too damn bad. There are no special needs here what so ever, other than the special need of further coddling young adults and telling them they are special.
What information does the Conservative Party have today that would lead it to applaud Elections Canada's decision to count the votes that it didn't have yesterday when it asked Elections Canada to not count the votes?
You can read what I posted, disagree or agree, but your link on your name, unseatharper.ca tells me all I really need to know.
Ah, but some questions remain …
According to EC: “Elections Canada generally uses the special ballot outside the local Elections Canada office in defmed [sic] circumstances to assist electors who face barriers to voting, such as electors in acute care hospitals or in isolated work camps in locations like Fort McMurray in northern Alberta.”
• Does the UoG qualify as one of those categories, i.e. acute care hospital or isolated work camp?
• Are the people who voted at Guelph going to be able to vote again in their own ridings? What guarantee is there that they won't be able to do that?
• “Once Elections Canada officials were made aware of the local initiative in Guelph, the returning officer was instructed not to engage in any further activities of a similar nature.”
Doesn't that suggest that the “local initiative” — well-intentioned though it may have been — was actually questionable?
Advance polls in my riding are on April 22, 23, and 25 — plenty of opportunity for eager voters, young or not so young, to vote.
I'm using my full, real name and, through the link, I have clearly indicated my current thinking on the Harper Government, how does that invalidate my question?
If there had been Conservative campaign documents in the voting area instead of the Liberal ones, the uproar would be huge. I would find this type of hypocrisy amusing if it wasn't so tragic that many people are unable to see it.
Maybe, maybe not, but Elections Canada said that it was not aware of ANY partisan material, Conservative, Liberal or other, at the voting site. And there was an Elections Canada person on-site.
See: http://twitter.com/robertfife/status/58941586943381504
Not sure what I said that wasn't clear.
Yesterday they (the CPC) contended that the poll was illegal and all ballots cast should not be counted. Today the CPC are informed by Elections Canada that although the advance/special poll was undertaken without permission, it was done within the laws of the act and the votes are legal. The CPC therefore issue a statement confirm that they are happy with the ruling and will abide by the decision.
See… bold, first letter… bold.italic, today's info.
I agree Gabby, I wonder why they are pandering to the “youth” vote… why not pander to all the voters that are too lazy to get out there on election day and vote.
And setting up special polls in special situations like nursing homes and isolated camps is not pandering, that is providing a clear and vital service. Setting up a poll in the University because the precious snowflakes are going home and may not be motivated to get out and vote, not so much.
OK, valid point. I'll accept that they couldn't be bothered to check the facts yesterday before calling for the votes to be invalidated.
Your statement above is seriously bringing your comprehension skills into question. Read the blog posting. This would be the response from the Chief Elections Officer to the query by the CPC.
Here let me help you by cutting and pasting the important parts from above so you don’t have to search for them… I’ll even bold the juicy bits to make it clearer.
In light of the focus on youth and student electoral participation at the 41 st general election, and on efforts to increase voter interest and turnout among this group, a well-intentioned returning officer undertook a special initiative to create an opportunity for students at the University of Guelph to vote by special ballot. Once Elections Canada officials were made aware of the local initiative in Guelph, the returning officer was instructed not to engage in any further activities of a similar nature. All returning officers have received this instruction.
While the initiative at the University of Guelph was not pre-authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer, the Canada Elections Act provides that electors may apply for and vote by special ballot. A special ballot coordinator, appointed by the local returning officer, oversaw the activities at the University of Guelph. All information at our disposal indicates that the votes were cast in a manner that respects the Canada Elections Act and are valid.
See, not so hard… I’ll even reiterate my comment. The CPC, when informed that a special initiative was being created for the special students at the special university they wondered if it was legal, and not just special. So, they wrote a letter asking Election’s Canada if said special initiative was legal, and the special Chief Electoral Officer replied, that would be the reply above, which I will paraphrase, “I didn’t know they were doing that, and now that I know it is ok, but just this one time… no one else do this because even though it is ok, it isn’t really ok.”
So, the CPC responded to the CEO by saying, and I’ll paraphrase again, “Since you say it’s ok, well then, we’re ok with it too.
I would like to point out to the Conservative campaign that even if these votes weren't counted, nobody would have been disenfranchised.
They will not have been disenfranchised because these particular electors will still have ample opportunity to vote in advance polls or the election day polls. The only difference is that their friends won't be peer pressuring them to vote, and the polls will be subject normal scrutiny.
So what's the big deal about letting people vote any damned place and time they can do it without cheating? Ifyou ask me, any measures that can promote civic participation is worthy, and well within the mandate of Elections Canada. Unless you are a Conservative partisan that is, in which case it seems that any measures to improve turnout amongst those least likely to vote their way are characterised as pandering to the lazy.
It seems that the Conservative Party is out there promoting the self same special ballots to their own supporters. I guess it's only pandering when it isn't their supporters being pampered. When its a Conservative voter, looking for an easier way to vote, it's a public service is it?
That's not entirely true. The rules say very specifically that once you've registered to vote by Special Ballot you are not allowed to vote any other way. So, because they'd already registered to vote by Special Ballot, they would not have been allowed to vote in an Advance Poll or on Election Day.
Wow, not even remotely the same. On one hand we have someone in the employ of Elections Canada setting up a non-sanctioned, but later validated, polling station vice telling people how they can vote. How do you see that as similar?
There are ample opportunities to vote. You can request a special ballot, you can go to an advance poll and you can turn out on voting day… there is no reason that we need to pander, and pamper, one specific group because they are too damn lazy to get off of their asses and get out and vote.
Special polls were designed to accommodate people who can't get out, nursing homes and remote work camps are given as examples. These are set up so that people can vote who, through no fault of their own, cannot make it to an advanced poll or to their polling station on election day.
If today's youth are so disengaged that the only way to get them to vote is to take a poll directly to them, then they deserve to hear my derision at their lack of drive and concern.
And one last note, it is not about letting people vote “any damn place and time they can do it without cheating” it is about the laws involved with voting, period. You should note that the person who set up the special poll did so without permission, and subsequent polls will not be allowed. It is that old saw, better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission. The CEO didn't want to penalize those students that did cast a vote, rather than firing the ass of some staffer who overstepped their bounds.
I repeat, it is not pandering and pampering, Elections Canada specifically states that anybody who wants to can vote by special ballot if they prefer that option to voting at the advance polls or on EDay. For example, here is a copy of the EC guidelines, abstratcted from the Conservative website:
“Who is eligible to vote by Special Ballot?
1. Canadian electors temporarily away from their electoral districts during the election or referendum, whether in Canada or abroad
2. Canadian electors in their electoral districts who cannot or do not wish to go to an ordinary or advance poll to vote
3. Canadian citizens temporarily residing outside Canada
4. Canadian Forces electors (including civilians employed as teachers or administrative support staff in Canadian Forces schools outside the country)
5. incarcerated electors
In all these cases, the elector must have a civic address for his or her place of ordinary residence in Canada, for electoral purposes. The elector's vote will be counted for that electoral district.”
So the idea of having the returning officer show up at a place where hundreds of people have chosen to exercise their option, is not outlandish.. unless they are not voting Conservative, and it is you making the call.