Elections Canada has announced that voters in the upcoming byelection in Alberta’s Battle River-Crowfoot will need to write in the name of their preferred candidate to avoid an extensive ballot featuring over 200 names. The independent organization stated that special write-in ballots will be provided to electors during advance polls and on election day, replacing the traditional list-style ballot where voters mark a circle next to their chosen candidate’s name.
According to Elections Canada, a complete list of candidates will be accessible at polling stations, and voters are not required to spell the candidate’s name perfectly. As long as the voter’s intention is clear, the ballot will be considered valid. Write-in ballots are typically used for voters casting their votes outside designated voting days, such as at Elections Canada offices or through mail-in ballots.
The Elections Act empowers the head of Elections Canada to implement short-term changes in cases of unforeseen circumstances. A group called the Longest Ballot Committee, advocating for electoral reform, has been actively recruiting candidates for byelections to push for change. Their goal is to establish a citizens’ assembly to oversee electoral reforms, believing that political parties are hesitant to make the government more representative of the people.
Over 200 candidates, mostly affiliated with the Longest Ballot Committee, have registered to run in the upcoming byelection triggered by MP Damien Kurek’s resignation to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to return to the House of Commons after losing his Carleton riding in the previous general election. The number of candidates exceeding 200 in Battle River-Crowfoot has surpassed the committee’s target and has set a new record, surpassing the previous record of 91 candidates in recent elections.
The extensive number of candidates has led to significantly long ballots, causing delays in the vote-counting process and confusion among voters. Despite the adjustment for the upcoming byelection, Elections Canada warns that counting delays may still occur and mentions previous measures taken to handle large ballots, including early counting and additional staffing.