Stephen Harper and Elections Canada style voter suppression?
Dear CyberSmokeBlog:
Encountering long lineups at your advance polling station? Here's the cause of the problem;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-election-worker-quits-due-to-long-line-ups-1.3267083?cmp=rss
Rules only allow one voting booth per polling station no matter how many are waiting.
This is one solid reason to vote ABC (Anyone But Conservatives).
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous:
Thank you for this.
Pierre "Here Skippy, Skippy" Poilievre Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for (Un) Democratic Reform
"Skippy" is the same individual who was the point person for Stephen Harper responsible for strong arming through the House of Commons the controversial, and what many have called the (Un)Fair Elections Act, which has already been court challenged. Passed last year, Bill C-23 amended the Canada Elections Act in ways several have contended make it harder for some to vote rather than easier.
"Dick Weed" and his Conservative colleagues were so concerned with trying to limit the number who could vote (to the benefit of the Harper government) they missed the obvious as noted in the CBC article below.
As for Elections Canada, CyberSmokeBlog says to you WTF? Why isn't there online voting to assist those with mobility issues (e.g. seniors and residents in health care facilities), as well as, young people who virtually live on the internet?
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
B. C. election worker quits due to long lineups
'We have made repeated appeals to our election headquarters,' says former worker David Beatie
Sunday, October 11, 2015
A federal elections information officer angrily quit and stormed out of a Vancouver Centre advance polling station Sunday, frustrated by on-going waits that voters are experiencing and the lack of help from Elections Canada.
"Until a minute ago, I was an employee of Elections Canada. I have now quit," said David Beattie who has worked for six elections including this one.
Meera Bains
Small town girl in a big city. I report on national and regional stories. Journalist with CBC News Vancouver. Opinions are my own @cbc.ca
Vancouver
Joined August 2010
Long lineups on day 3 of advanced voting #elexor42# Roundhouse community centre #4Vancouver ... almost an hour wait
3:34 PM - Octoer 11, 2015
He says at least four temporary elections workers at the community centre have also quit.
"We have made repeated appeals to our election headquarters ... to do everything they can to relieve voter frustration," he said. "They have done nothing."
In an email sent to CBC News, Elections Canada says returning officers are taking measures to accommodate the volume of electors while still following what is required under the Canada Elections Act.
At advance polls, the poll clerk has to write the name and address of each elector and have the elector sign the document.
Only then can the poll clerk strike the elector's name from the list. Only the deputy returning officer can check an elector's ID and hand them a ballot.
"There is normally only one ballot box at advance polls," wrote Dorothy Sitek, who speaks for Elections Canada in B.C. "The act does not allow Elections Canada to just set up additional desks when there is a lineup."
Increase in polling stations, voters
In 2011, there were 3,258 advance polling sites while this year there are 3,423.
But those numbers are small compared to the number of polling stations available across Canada on the actual election day. In 2011, there were more than 66,000.
Elections Canada said 780,000 electors voted on Saturday, the second day of advance polls.
"This brings the total for the first two days of advance polls to 1,642,000," wrote Sitek "This represents a 34 per cent increase over the 1,223,000 electors who voted during the first two days of advance polls at the 2011 federal general election."
Beattie says whatever efforts have been made, more are needed.
"You cannot persuade me that it's not possible to bring more people in to explain the situation."
Elections Canada's twitter feed is a long litany of answers to complaints from would-be voters with the responses full of thanks for patience.
Eileen Sallam and her husband waited an hour to vote Sunday. It was the second time they had tried to vote at this polling station. (CBC)
Voters at the polling station where Beattie used to work share his frustration.
"I would come in and see the long lines and go away," said Eileen Sallam, who with her husband lined up for about an hour to vote. "I came back yesterday and now I'm back again today."
Advance voting continues on Thanksgiving Monday.
With files from the CBC's Meera Bains and Kiran Dhillon
Encountering long lineups at your advance polling station? Here's the cause of the problem;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-election-worker-quits-due-to-long-line-ups-1.3267083?cmp=rss
Rules only allow one voting booth per polling station no matter how many are waiting.
This is one solid reason to vote ABC (Anyone But Conservatives).
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous:
Thank you for this.
"Skippy" is the same individual who was the point person for Stephen Harper responsible for strong arming through the House of Commons the controversial, and what many have called the (Un)Fair Elections Act, which has already been court challenged. Passed last year, Bill C-23 amended the Canada Elections Act in ways several have contended make it harder for some to vote rather than easier.
"Dick Weed" and his Conservative colleagues were so concerned with trying to limit the number who could vote (to the benefit of the Harper government) they missed the obvious as noted in the CBC article below.
As for Elections Canada, CyberSmokeBlog says to you WTF? Why isn't there online voting to assist those with mobility issues (e.g. seniors and residents in health care facilities), as well as, young people who virtually live on the internet?
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
'We have made repeated appeals to our election headquarters,' says former worker David Beatie
Sunday, October 11, 2015
A federal elections information officer angrily quit and stormed out of a Vancouver Centre advance polling station Sunday, frustrated by on-going waits that voters are experiencing and the lack of help from Elections Canada.
"Until a minute ago, I was an employee of Elections Canada. I have now quit," said David Beattie who has worked for six elections including this one.
- Vote now at advance polls
- Waits at advance polls hurting turn-out?
- Candidates hope to lock in early votes
Small town girl in a big city. I report on national and regional stories. Journalist with CBC News Vancouver. Opinions are my own @cbc.ca
Vancouver
Joined August 2010
Long lineups on day 3 of advanced voting #elexor42# Roundhouse community centre #4Vancouver ... almost an hour wait
3:34 PM - Octoer 11, 2015
He says at least four temporary elections workers at the community centre have also quit.
"We have made repeated appeals to our election headquarters ... to do everything they can to relieve voter frustration," he said. "They have done nothing."
In an email sent to CBC News, Elections Canada says returning officers are taking measures to accommodate the volume of electors while still following what is required under the Canada Elections Act.
At advance polls, the poll clerk has to write the name and address of each elector and have the elector sign the document.
Only then can the poll clerk strike the elector's name from the list. Only the deputy returning officer can check an elector's ID and hand them a ballot.
"There is normally only one ballot box at advance polls," wrote Dorothy Sitek, who speaks for Elections Canada in B.C. "The act does not allow Elections Canada to just set up additional desks when there is a lineup."
Increase in polling stations, voters
In 2011, there were 3,258 advance polling sites while this year there are 3,423.
But those numbers are small compared to the number of polling stations available across Canada on the actual election day. In 2011, there were more than 66,000.
Elections Canada said 780,000 electors voted on Saturday, the second day of advance polls.
"This brings the total for the first two days of advance polls to 1,642,000," wrote Sitek "This represents a 34 per cent increase over the 1,223,000 electors who voted during the first two days of advance polls at the 2011 federal general election."
Beattie says whatever efforts have been made, more are needed.
"You cannot persuade me that it's not possible to bring more people in to explain the situation."
Elections Canada's twitter feed is a long litany of answers to complaints from would-be voters with the responses full of thanks for patience.
Voters at the polling station where Beattie used to work share his frustration.
"I would come in and see the long lines and go away," said Eileen Sallam, who with her husband lined up for about an hour to vote. "I came back yesterday and now I'm back again today."
Advance voting continues on Thanksgiving Monday.
With files from the CBC's Meera Bains and Kiran Dhillon
posted by Clare L. Pieuk at 7:06 AM
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