Elections N.B. tries to help homeless people vote
Proof of address letters are available at food banks and shelters for those without a permanent dwelling
Moncton resident Chance Burlock hasn't had a fixed address since around 2016. He spends most nights either in shelters or on the streets.
But that's not stopping him from being concerned about what's going on in the province.
"I think I'm going to vote. I don't really know exactly for who yet, but I'm looking into it. I'm studying it and researching and trying to figure out what's the best option," he said.
Burlock said among his top election issues are community services and serving the growing population.
"More things for children, more things for seniors, veterans, anything that really helps people grow. Because we are the fastest-growing city in Canada, so that's a big thing," Burlock said.
And while he hopes that everyone does their part for democracy by casting a ballot on Oct. 21, he thinks other homeless New Brunswickers feel overlooked by the government.
"There's been laws and bylaws, things that are pushing homeless people outside of the city, or they're not really helping too much," he said.
"I really believe that homeless people aren't really getting what they need and what they deserve, really."
Shelters, soup kitchens offer their addresses
In past years, people who who wanted to vote, but no permanent place to live, had to have someone vouch for them, said Kim Poffenroth, New Brunswick's chief electoral officer.
But a new initiative is trying to make it easier for people without a fixed address to vote.
"We were looking at different ways of addressing challenges that people have proving their civic address in a number of different situations," Poffenroth said.
Elections N.B. has distributed letters to local food banks, shelters and soup kitchens across the province. Any client of these organizations can use these letters as proof of address, in lieu of a utility bill or lease agreement.
Proof of address is needed for voters who aren't already on the voters' list. Voters also need to bring a piece of government-issued identification.
"It's something we're doing just to make it a little bit easier both for those individuals, because we want everyone who is a qualified voter in New Brunswick to be able to vote regardless of what their housing situation is," Poffenroth said.
It's not clear exactly how many letters will be taken to the polls. But no matter how many are used, Elections New Brunswick will be keeping track and will repeat the initiative in the future.
"Regardless of what the uptake is, anything that allows New Brunswick users who want to vote to make it easier for them to vote — whether it's one person or if it's 1,000 people — it's a worthwhile effort on our part," Poffenroth said.
Central distribution
To get the letters to food banks and shelters, Elections N.B. reached out to Food Depot Alimentaire.
Food Depot is a non-profit that has 65 partner food banks, shelters and soup kitchens across the province.
"There's an increasing homeless population, so I think Elections New Brunswick did the right thing to try to make it easier for everyone to vote," said executive director Stéphane Sirois.
"Most times, if you're a chronic homeless person or unhoused, housing is not necessarily your main issue," he said. "You have some form of other issue, addiction issues, mental-health issues."
But regardless "of the struggles you're dealing with, it's important to have your voice heard. And we often hear like, one vote doesn't make a difference," he said. "But if 10 people, 20 people, 100 people say that, it adds up."
Unexpected voters
While the issues of homelessness and addictions have been touched on in this election, political science professor Mario Levesque, at Mount Allison University in Sackville, said the political leaders may not be expecting these groups of people to vote.
"Do they think about them as if they will actually go out and vote for them? I don't think so," he said.
Levesque said he thinks everyone's vote matters when it comes to Canadian elections.
"It's long overdue. I applaud Elections New Brunswick for putting this in place, and I hope that they continue with it all the time," he said.
"It may take a few elections for people to catch on that this is provided and that they can go ahead and go out there and vote, but this is a really positive step for sure."
As for Burlock, he's hopeful that the election will improve his own situation, and those who are in similar positions.
"Some people aren't interested in politics, some people are. But it is good to vote nonetheless, you know?" he said.
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