Ontario Elections: Millions of eligible voters cast ballots at advance polls

author-image
Meeshika Sharma
New Update
Ontario Elections: Millions of eligible voters cast ballots at advance polls

According to preliminary figures released by Elections Ontario, hundreds of thousands of Ontario voters are no more waiting around to cast their ballot in this year's hotly-contested election.

Elections Ontario said the technology shortened wait times for voters at advance polls.publive-image

About 768,895 of 10.2 million eligible voters cast ballots at advance polls between May 26 and June 1, Elections Ontario reports. That's an 18.8 % increase from 2014, when an estimated 647,261 voters turned up at advance polls.

Though advance polls are now closed, but eligible voters who can't cast a ballot on June 7 still have the option of voting by special ballot at a returning office or through a home visit until Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.

Advertisment

Elections Ontario, an independent office of the Ontario legislature that's set to spend $126 million to run the 2018 vote, says new technology made advance voting easier this time around.

Ontario's chief electoral officer, Greg Essensa said in a news release, "We are very pleased with the positive feedback we have received across the province," "We are modernizing Ontario's elections in a measured and principled way to give electors a better voter experience."

At advance polls this year, voters would receive a ballot from an official, then fill it out behind a voting screen, using a black felt pen to mark an X in a circle next to the name of the candidate of his or her choice.publive-image

Then he or she would hand the ballot back to the official who would insert it into an electronic voting machine.

The number of electoral districts in Ontario has increased from 107 to 124 in 2018 and the change means some voters will be casting ballots in different locations or electoral districts in this election than previously, Elections Ontario said.

The office is also reminding eligible voters, in its frequently asked questions, that they cannot take selfies with their ballots.

Office says on its website, "Taking a picture of a completed ballot — yours or anyone else's — is a violation of the Election Act because it violates the secrecy of the vote.”

"It is also a violation of the Act to publish a photo on your social media channels or elsewhere of a completed ballot."

Voter information cards with details about when and where to vote have been mailed to registered electors. Voters are reminded to bring these cards and one piece of identification to vote.

canada-news latest-canada-news
Advertisment