Over 7,000 voters in Richmond’s two ridings want to vote by special ballot – including mail-in – and have requested kits for the upcoming federal election, taking place in just under a week.
Today (Sept. 14) is the last day to apply to vote by mail or to vote in person at an Elections Canada office. Election Day is on Monday, Sept. 20.
So far in Richmond, 4,771 special voting kits have been issued to Richmond Centre electors and 3,128 to voters in Steveston-Richmond East, according to Elections Canada data.
There’s been an “enormous” jump in the number of special ballots issued country-wide, said to Andrea Marantz, B.C. spokesperson for Elections Canada.
Across Canada, more than 900,000 special voting kits have been issued to voters in their own riding as of today (Sept. 14).
In comparison, approximately 5,000 people voted by mail from their own ridings, across the country, during the last federal election, Marantz said.
While the 900,000 include those who opted to vote in-person at an Elections Canada office in their own riding rather than at a polling location, it is “mostly mail-in” voting kits, according to Marantz.
Electors have until 6 p.m. today (Sept. 14) to apply to vote by mail.
Voters can apply for a mail-in voting kit online or in-person at an Elections Canada office. A copy of your ID is required – it will have to be scanned and attached if applying online.
Once you have applied to vote by a special mail-in ballot, you are not allowed to change your mind and vote in-person.
Elections Canada told the Richmond News it is prepared to receive as many as five million applications.
Tonight at 6 p.m. is also the deadline to vote in-person at any Elections Canada office across the country. After 6 p.m., the only remaining option for voting in-person is on Sept. 20 at your assigned polling station.
The Richmond News has hosted all-candidates debates with Richmond candidates. To watch the Richmond Centre all-candidates debate, click here. Meanwhile, to watch the Steveston-Richmond East all-candidates debate, click here.
