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Difference between revisions of "The Right to Vote (5:VII)"
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The Right to Vote (5:VII) (view source)
Revision as of 17:30, 29 August 2023
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{{REVIEWED LSLAP | date= July 8, | {{REVIEWED LSLAP | date= July 8, 2023}} | ||
{{LSLAP Manual TOC|expanded = complaints}} | {{LSLAP Manual TOC|expanded = complaints}} | ||
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The province is divided into various electoral districts, each represented by an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Each district has a registrar of voters whose duty is to ensure that the election of candidates in that district is carried out properly. The elections process is supervised by the Chief Electoral Officer. Elections BC can be contacted at: | The province is divided into various electoral districts, each represented by an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Each district has a registrar of voters whose duty is to ensure that the election of candidates in that district is carried out properly. The elections process is supervised by the Chief Electoral Officer. Elections BC can be contacted at: | ||
'''Elections British Columbia''' | '''Elections British Columbia''' | ||
{{ResourcesLSLAP | {{ResourcesLSLAP | ||
| address = P.O. Box 9275 Stn Provincial Government <br /> Victoria, BC V8W 9J6 | | address = P.O. Box 9275 Stn Provincial Government <br /> Victoria, BC V8W 9J6 | ||
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If you have a complaint about contraventions of the ''Election Act'', RSBC 1996, c 106, ''Local Elections Campaign Financing Act'', SBC 2014, c 18, or the ''Recall and Initiative Act'', RCBC 1996, c 398, you may make a complaint in writing by: | If you have a complaint about contraventions of the ''Election Act'', RSBC 1996, c 106, ''Local Elections Campaign Financing Act'', SBC 2014, c 18, or the ''Recall and Initiative Act'', RCBC 1996, c 398, you may make a complaint in writing by: | ||
Mail: | *Mail: PO Box 9275 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria BC, V8W 9J6; or | ||
PO Box 9275 Stn Prov Govt | *Email: investigations@elections.bc.ca | ||
Victoria BC, V8W 9J6 | |||
or | |||
Email: investigations@elections.bc.ca | |||
Please see the Elections BC website here for information to include in your complaint: [https://elections.bc.ca/resources/investigations/how-to-make-a-complaint/ https://elections.bc.ca/resources/investigations/how-to-make-a-complaint/]. | Please see the Elections BC website here for information to include in your complaint: [https://elections.bc.ca/resources/investigations/how-to-make-a-complaint/ https://elections.bc.ca/resources/investigations/how-to-make-a-complaint/]. | ||
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Canadian citizens who are 18 years of age or older on election day are generally eligible to vote in federal elections (s 3). | Canadian citizens who are 18 years of age or older on election day are generally eligible to vote in federal elections (s 3). | ||
While federal residency requirements do exist, they are more relaxed than those applicable to BC provincial elections. A person may vote only | While federal residency requirements do exist, they are more relaxed than those applicable to BC provincial elections. A person may vote only once, in the area in which they are “ordinarily resident” (s 8(1)). This is defined in much the same way as “resident” is defined in section 32 of BC’s ''Election Act''. A person who moves between the enumerator’s visit and the day of the election could be forced to vote in the former riding if ordinarily resident there when the enumeration occurred. | ||
All voters must present one piece of government-issued ID with a photograph and residential address before being allowed to vote (s 143(2)(a)). If a voter cannot provide the required photo ID, they may still be allowed to vote if they do one of two things (s 143(2)(b) and s 143(3)): | All voters must present one piece of government-issued ID with a photograph and residential address before being allowed to vote (s 143(2)(a)). If a voter cannot provide the required photo ID, they may still be allowed to vote if they do one of two things (s 143(2)(b) and s 143(3)): | ||
:(a) Provides two pieces of acceptable identification to establish the voter's identity, at least one of which establishes the voter’s residence (a list of “acceptable identification” is to be published by the Chief Electoral Officer); or | |||
:(b) Provides two pieces of identification that establish the voter's name, and then establishes their residence by swearing an oath in writing that attests to where they live. The voter must also be accompanied by an individual who is '''registered to vote in the same polling division''', has '''proper identification''', and vouches for the person without ID under oath and in the prescribed form. An individual can only vouch for one person at an election, and an individual who has been vouched for cannot vouch for someone else. | |||
These requirements pose significant challenges to low-income individuals who may have no form of official identification. Further difficulties are created by the rule that an individual may only vouch for one other individual and the requirement that the voucher lives and is on the elector’s list in the same polling station as the intended vouchee. | These requirements pose significant challenges to low-income individuals who may have no form of official identification. Further difficulties are created by the rule that an individual may only vouch for one other individual and the requirement that the voucher lives and is on the elector’s list in the same polling station as the intended vouchee. | ||
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Many other provisions of the ''Canada Elections Act'', such as an employee being entitled to receive time off work to cast a ballot, provisions for people with disabilities, and balloting procedures are very similar to BC provincial regulations and thus are not repeated here. Further inquiries and/or complaints can be sent to Stéphane Perrault, the current Chief Electoral Officer, at: | Many other provisions of the ''Canada Elections Act'', such as an employee being entitled to receive time off work to cast a ballot, provisions for people with disabilities, and balloting procedures are very similar to BC provincial regulations and thus are not repeated here. Further inquiries and/or complaints can be sent to Stéphane Perrault, the current Chief Electoral Officer, at: | ||
'''Elections Canada''' | '''Elections Canada''' | ||
{{ResourcesLSLAP | {{ResourcesLSLAP | ||
| address = 350 Victoria Street <br /> Gatineau, Quebec K1A OM6 | | address = 350 Victoria Street <br /> Gatineau, Quebec K1A OM6 | ||
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Please see the following link for more information on making complaints about federal elections: [https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=faq&document=faqgen&lang=e#gen3 https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=faq&document=faqgen&lang=e#gen3]. | Please see the following link for more information on making complaints about federal elections: [https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=faq&document=faqgen&lang=e#gen3 https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=faq&document=faqgen&lang=e#gen3]. | ||
:'''Note:''' Major changes to the ''Canada | :'''Note:''' Major changes to the ''Canada Elections Act'' in June 2014 included provisions intended to increase penalties for offences, reduce voter fraud, and empower political parties to drive voter turnout. Specific changes include removing vouching in favour of an oath system where a voter has identification but cannot prove current residence; moving investigations from Elections Canada to the Director of Public Prosecutions; limiting the powers of Elections Canada; increasing donation limits; adding constraints on robocalls; and some changes to third-party advertising. | ||
The Supreme Court of Canada struck down previous prohibitions preventing inmates from voting in ''[https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2002/2002scc68/2002scc68.html Sauvé v Canada (Chief Electoral Officer)]'', 2002 SCC 68. A key consideration in this decision was that, by denying the vote to all prisoners, the ''Act'' failed to balance the right to vote against the seriousness of the conduct of prisoners. | The Supreme Court of Canada struck down previous prohibitions preventing inmates from voting in ''[https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2002/2002scc68/2002scc68.html Sauvé v Canada (Chief Electoral Officer)]'', 2002 SCC 68. A key consideration in this decision was that, by denying the vote to all prisoners, the ''Act'' failed to balance the right to vote against the seriousness of the conduct of prisoners. | ||
