Xenophobes, start your engines — or, alternately, don’t. As much fun as it might have been to watch Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand makes mincemeat of MPs during last summer’s pre-by-election “emergency” hearings over the menace of veiled voters, I’m not sure how much more media coverage we need of Pumpkinhead and friends, since the law hasn’t changed.
Xenophobes, start your engines — or, alternately, don’t. As much fun as it might have been to watch Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand makes mincemeat of MPs during last summer’s pre-by-election “emergency” hearings over the menace of veiled voters, I’m not sure how much more media coverage we need of Pumpkinhead and friends, since the law hasn’t changed.
Electors Must Prove Their Identity and Address When They Vote
Legislation change means Canadians need to present identification at the polls
OTTAWA, Monday, July 28, 2008
- Federal by-elections will be held in Guelph (Ontario), Saint-Lambert (Quebec) and Westmount–Ville-Marie (Quebec) on Monday, September 8, 2008.
- All electors must meet new voter identification requirements when they vote in the federal by-elections.
- Electors may choose any of three options to prove their identity and address.
- Some identification documents used at provincial and municipal elections may not meet federal election requirements.
“All electors must now prove their identity and address when they vote. The requirements are flexible, so electors can meet them depending on the identification they have. Elections Canada staff is trained and ready to deal with the new identification requirements,” says Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand.
Click here to obtain further information about voter identification at the poll
If you’re pressed for time, ITQ can save you the trouble of scrolling down the page to find the relevant section: As it stands, there is no legal requirement for a Muslim women – or anyone else – to show her face at the polling station in order to receive – or cast – her ballot. Under the current law, Elections Canada will accept either one piece of identification with a photo, or two pieces of ID with your name, one of which also contains your address. (For a full list of authorized documents, click here.)