Canadian Elections: Polling Place Concerns Raise As Early Polls Open | The Canadian News

A Canadian democracy watchdog believes that barriers to voting could cause turnout in federal elections this month to drop compared to two years ago.

Early polls opened across Canada on Friday for the nation’s 44 general elections on September 20.

Duff Conacher, co-founder of the advocacy group Democracy Watch, said complications with the vote-by-mail process and a shortage of poll workers are some of the things that can lead to fewer people voting.

Elections Canada recognizes that Election Day itself may look a little different for some voters this year.

Françoise Enguehard, Elections Canada Atlantic Region Media Advisor, said the early calling of the August elections, COVID-19 concerns, venue availability and other considerations have impacted preparation for this year’s vote. .

READ MORE: Protests Fail Polls, But Canadians Are Increasingly Frustrated With Pandemic Elections

He said there will be fewer polling places in various constituencies across the country, including some in Atlantic Canada.

“So there will be no fewer polling stations,” Enguehard said. “There may be fewer locations. Some of the surveys may have been produced. For example, in Dartmouth, there is a polling place with 36 ballots. “

Enguehard said he does not recall seeing a polling place with 36 ballot boxes in this region in the past.

For his part, Conacher said he is not surprised there are fewer locations.

But he said it is another in a long list of obstacles for people who want to vote in this election.

Conacher said there are too many steps in the vote-by-mail process and too much potential for lineups that people may not want to be in during a pandemic, even if the necessary precautions are taken.

“Little glitches will happen or people don’t want to take the time or they get confused, they don’t learn the steps correctly, they make a mistake,” Conacher said. “All of that will result in fewer people showing up to vote, fewer people voting even by mail and probably more damaged ballots.”

On-campus voting for postsecondary students is also not available for this election.

Conacher said he expects Elections Canada to announce in the next few days that it has not been able to hire enough poll workers and that further poll consolidations will take place.

READ MORE: Federal leaders exchange criticism on COVID-19, indigenous rights in the French electoral debate

Enguehard admitted that Elections Canada needs to hire about 100 workers in Halifax alone before Election Day.

“We need registration officers, information officers, central voting supervisors,” Enguehard said.

Enguehard said that Elections Canada expects many Canadians to vote before Election Day.

Early voting in person is scheduled to take place 12 hours a day through September 13. Ballots by mail must be requested by September 14 and must be returned by Election Day.