I’m happy to be proven wrong but I don’t believe there are provisions for delaying just some polling stations in our current electoral system. So just wait for the storm to pass would be functionally the same as what happened here.
I haven’t read the details just the faq, it seems like the provisions for delay are at the level of entire ridings.
However I believe this experience proves we have work to do ensuring that outlying areas can participate in our democracy properly.
The article mentions that the weather was affecting flights home for workers, not affecting the ability to vote. In this case, there’s no need to delay the vote. The workers could’ve kept working and should’ve been offered accommodations due to a delayed flight home.
Waiting for the storm to pass would’ve included polling stations opening, remaining opening until voting closed, and accommodating workers who wouldn’t have been able to leave on a plane as scheduled. Denying Canadians the ability to vote on election day so that the workers could ensure they made it home as scheduled to not be inconvenienced is unacceptable.
Edit: I was partially wrong, accessing locations was part of the article: “In several cases, it was not possible to recruit local teams. In other cases, harsh weather conditions have prevented access to communities.”
My response was over-focused on the section you mentioned in the edit, but the specific example in the article is unacceptable and you’re right to focus that out because I didn’t. Thanks.
I’m happy to be proven wrong but I don’t believe there are provisions for delaying just some polling stations in our current electoral system. So just wait for the storm to pass would be functionally the same as what happened here.
I haven’t read the details just the faq, it seems like the provisions for delay are at the level of entire ridings.
However I believe this experience proves we have work to do ensuring that outlying areas can participate in our democracy properly.
The article mentions that the weather was affecting flights home for workers, not affecting the ability to vote. In this case, there’s no need to delay the vote. The workers could’ve kept working and should’ve been offered accommodations due to a delayed flight home.
Waiting for the storm to pass would’ve included polling stations opening, remaining opening until voting closed, and accommodating workers who wouldn’t have been able to leave on a plane as scheduled. Denying Canadians the ability to vote on election day so that the workers could ensure they made it home as scheduled to not be inconvenienced is unacceptable.
Edit: I was partially wrong, accessing locations was part of the article: “In several cases, it was not possible to recruit local teams. In other cases, harsh weather conditions have prevented access to communities.”
Fully agreed on all parts.
My response was over-focused on the section you mentioned in the edit, but the specific example in the article is unacceptable and you’re right to focus that out because I didn’t. Thanks.