Vince MacLean lives in Northside East Bay, about a 20-minute drive from Sydney, and went to the local returning office last week to vote. People can vote at Elections Canada offices until Oct. 13.
In 2008, the government started requiring all voters — including those on the list of registered voters — to present government-issued photo ID with an address before casting a ballot.
"I went down to the returning office to vote last week with my driver's licence and a wallet full of ID," said MacLean.
"Unfortunately I could not vote because none of them had my civic address on it, even though everyone there knew I lived in Northside East Bay."
MacLean lives in a rural area and his mail is delivered to a post office box. Earlier on Friday, he said he went through his correspondence to try to find a piece with his civic address, but it was all addressed to his post office box.
By Friday afternoon, MacLean found a power bill with his street address on it and was able to cast his ballot.
The Fair Elections Act gives voters the option to take an oath, if their ID does not have their current address.
In that case, the voter must present two pieces of ID, and have someone who knows that person and attest to his or her address. That person must also show proof of identity and address, and be registered in the same polling division.
Elections Canada said voters can use identification with a P.O. box, rural route or general delivery as their address, as long as that address has already been registered with Elections Canada.
Original Article
Source: CBC
Author: Wendy Martin
No comments:
Post a Comment