Elections Canada promises all 'good to go' as Canadians head to polls
Elections Canada says it's "good to go," for voting today.
Spokesperson Marie-France Kenny said the long lineups that some advance polling stations saw weekend before last won't happen today.
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The lineups at some polls were so long, some voters said they left without casting a ballot.
"We are ready and going," Kenny continued. "We've got the people in place. We are good to go. It's a typical last push for hiring people, making sure we have enough standbys and they are cross-trained, and those are in case somebody is sick, doesn't show up, then we have all these standbys waiting," Kenny said.
Elections Canada said an estimated 3.6 million people voted across the country during four days of advance polls between Friday, Oct. 9 to Monday, Oct. 12 — a 71 per cent increase over three days of advance polling in 2011.
Advance polls in Manitoba saw nearly double the number of voters compared to the 2011 federal election. as 108,454 people cast their ballots.
'Should be faster'
Kenny said one lineups and delays won't materialize on election day as there are many more places to vote.
"We have a lot fewer polls during advance polls, but during the election day — today — we're having 20,000 polls or so. Should be faster," she said.
The process to vote in advance polls is also a little more involved, Kenny told CBC News.
Voters were required to sign a declaration striking their names off the voters' list before getting a ballot. That step isn't part of the voting process on election day.
As recently as last week Elections Canada was looking to hire more staff, specifically in the ridings of Churchill-Keewatinook Aski and Winnipeg Centre. Kenny said those jobs have all been filled.
"[It's] typical to have a last push for hires and standbys during the last week. We have so many people to hire across the country, but we are good to go," she repeated.
Kenny said incorrect information on some voter information cards have been sorted out and replacement cards with the proper directions were all posted in time for voters to get them before election day.
"Errors will happen and people were sent the correct information right away," said Kenny.
Online voting victim of budget cuts
The long lineups to vote in person may have been avoided with the advent of online voting, but an eight per cent budget cut 2013 put the brakes on that plan.
Today Canadians will vote the old-fashioned way.
There are more than 26 million people eligible to cast a ballot.