Voters in the riding of Cloverdale–Langley City won’t be getting the typical voter information cards Canadians have grown to expect ahead of an election.
That's because Elections Canada won’t be issuing them for the Dec. 16 byelection.
“Due to a service disruption at Canada Post, Elections Canada will not be mailing voter information cards to registered electors in Cloverdale–Langley City,” noted a press release from Elections Canada sent out on Dec. 2. That also means they won't be mailing out any byelection voter’s guides either.
Elections Canada urged voters in the Cloverdale–Langley City electoral district to visit their website at elections.ca to find out all the information they need to get out and vote.
“Enter (your) postal code in the Voter Information Service box for information on where and when to vote and the accessibility of (your) polling station,” instructed Elections Canada. The release also noted citizens can call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 to also find out the information they need.
“Given that voter information cards will not be issued, Elections Canada encourages electors in Cloverdale–Langley City to check their registration using the Online Voter Registration Service,” the release continued.
That online portal is available by visiting ereg.elections.ca. “There are many ways for electors to prove their identity and address at the polls,” noted the release. “Electors do not need their voter information card in order to vote.”
Voters do need something to prove their identity. Elections Canada lists three ways to prove it: 1.) show one piece of ID, a driver's licence or any other card issued by a Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial or local) with your photo, name, and current address; 2.) show two pieces of ID, one with your name and one with your address, e.g., a health card and bank statement or a utility bill and a student ID card; or 3.) if you don't have ID, you can still vote if you declare your identity and address in writing and have someone who knows you and who is assigned to your polling station vouch for you. (For a full list of acceptable ID, visit elections.ca.)
Voters must register before 6 p.m. on Dec. 10 (if they aren’t already registered) to get on the list or update their address before election day. This can be done by visiting the Online Voter Registration portal or by contacting the Cloverdale–Langley City byelection office.
If anyone misses the cutoff, they can still register or update their address in person on voting day or at an advance poll.
Advance polls for the Cloverdale–Langley City byelection will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 6, 7, 8, and 9. On byelection day, Dec. 16, polls will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
