Review of Special Ballot System Français
GATINEAU, QC, May 14, 2025 /CNW/ - After an issue was reported with the return address of a special ballot envelope in the electoral district of Terrebonne during the 45th general election, an analysis was conducted confirming that there was an error on the label that was affixed to the envelope used for returning the special ballot to the local Elections Canada office. The error was in the last three characters of the postal code of the office's address. To date, only one case has come to our attention where an envelope containing a marked ballot was returned to a voter because of an incorrect address. A more detailed analysis was provided to candidates and political parties earlier today.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Stéphane Perrault, announced that he is broadening Elections Canada's review of the special ballot voting system which had been announced after a separate incident took place in the electoral district of Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam.
In recent general elections, special ballots were used to respond to an increased demand for voting services that meet the diverse needs of electors. A comprehensive review will allow Elections Canada to evaluate the training provided to employees and the controls that are in place for processing special ballots, with the intent to make improvements before the next general election.
"We must recognize that, with the evolution of the demand for special ballots, we need to make sure our supporting infrastructure and controls also evolve. One of the strengths of our system is that it does evolve over time to meet the changing needs of Canadians. This review is an opportunity to determine what needs to be improved to continue serving Canadians."
—Stéphane Perrault, Chief Electoral Officer
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