Elections Ontario makes it simpler for everyone to vote
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Publishing date:Apr 30, 2022 • 23 hours ago • 3 minute read • 15 Comments
Greg Essensa is Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario.
Greg Essensa is Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario. PHOTO BY JULIE OLIVER /POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Article content
Ontario is reaching out in more ways than ever to help voters cast their ballots, Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa says.
Starting May 4, when the writ is issued, voters can opt to mail in their ballots, vote in advance polls, take advantage of options for people with disabilities or head to their local poll on June 2 and cast their ballot the old-fashioned way.
“As your readers are turning their minds to the election, the most important thing they can do right now is come to our website at elections.on.ca, come on to our e-registration tool, and check that we have them at the right address,” Essensa said. “It literally takes less than a minute. Put your name in, your address and your postal code and we’ll tell you where we have or if we have you on the register.”
With a relatively short 28-day election period, making sure Elections Ontario has an up-to-date address means residents get their “all-important voter information cards” which provide information on voting options as well as ensuring a smoother time at the polls since only the card and one piece of identification are needed, he said.
About 85-90% of Ontario voters have cast their ballots at their local polling station on election day, but Essensa is encouraging people to consider other opportunities such as advancing polling.
“For this election as well, we have upgraded our vote-by-mail program so that beginning on May 4 through May 27 at 6 p.m. any individual can request a vote-by-mail package,” he said. “We’ve changed our process and our online application process — it’s very intuitive now, very easy.”
Unlike in federal elections, voters who opt to get a mail-in vote will not be able to switch to another form of voting, and the ballot must reach the returning officer by 6 p.m. on election day so voters should return them as early as possible, he said.
Elections Ontario is piloting a new app which can be downloaded through its website which will take you to Google Play or the Apple App Store.
The app provides personalized voting information like where a person’s closest advance poll is located and how to walk or drive there, as well as an electronic voting card.
“Right now I have a one-to-10.6 million relationship; I send out those voter information cards but we really don’t give you another option on how to communicate with us,” he said.
For people with disabilities, Elections Ontario has a whole range of voting possibilities, he said.
Elections Ontario will provide sign language, and permits those who need it to be accompanied by a friend to assist them.
Accessible voting technology is available at returning offices from May 21 up to and including election day, with sip and puff technology, paddles and a tactile advice that allow a voter to cast a ballot independently, he said.
Elections Ontario staff will do home visits from May 5 to election day, bringing the ballot directly to a voter who has mobility issues that prevent a visit to a polling station, and there’s even a COVID curbside version where the staff stay outside the home, he said.
All voting locations have been inspected for accessibility, he said.
“We want to assure them there’s lot of opportunities for them to exercise their right to vote,” Essensa said.
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Polling stations will have physical distancing, hand sanitizer, wipes for high-touch areas and masks for anyone who wants one, although at this point masks are not mandatory, he said.
Elections Ontario is hiring people for paid positions on and before election day, and the application process is available on its website.
“We want to encourage very Ontarian, come and help make democracy work,” Essensa said.
aartuso@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Antonella Artuso
Publishing date:Apr 30, 2022 • 23 hours ago • 3 minute read • 15 Comments
Greg Essensa is Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario.
Greg Essensa is Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario. PHOTO BY JULIE OLIVER /POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Article content
Ontario is reaching out in more ways than ever to help voters cast their ballots, Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa says.
Starting May 4, when the writ is issued, voters can opt to mail in their ballots, vote in advance polls, take advantage of options for people with disabilities or head to their local poll on June 2 and cast their ballot the old-fashioned way.
“As your readers are turning their minds to the election, the most important thing they can do right now is come to our website at elections.on.ca, come on to our e-registration tool, and check that we have them at the right address,” Essensa said. “It literally takes less than a minute. Put your name in, your address and your postal code and we’ll tell you where we have or if we have you on the register.”
With a relatively short 28-day election period, making sure Elections Ontario has an up-to-date address means residents get their “all-important voter information cards” which provide information on voting options as well as ensuring a smoother time at the polls since only the card and one piece of identification are needed, he said.
About 85-90% of Ontario voters have cast their ballots at their local polling station on election day, but Essensa is encouraging people to consider other opportunities such as advancing polling.
“For this election as well, we have upgraded our vote-by-mail program so that beginning on May 4 through May 27 at 6 p.m. any individual can request a vote-by-mail package,” he said. “We’ve changed our process and our online application process — it’s very intuitive now, very easy.”
Unlike in federal elections, voters who opt to get a mail-in vote will not be able to switch to another form of voting, and the ballot must reach the returning officer by 6 p.m. on election day so voters should return them as early as possible, he said.
Elections Ontario is piloting a new app which can be downloaded through its website which will take you to Google Play or the Apple App Store.
The app provides personalized voting information like where a person’s closest advance poll is located and how to walk or drive there, as well as an electronic voting card.
“Right now I have a one-to-10.6 million relationship; I send out those voter information cards but we really don’t give you another option on how to communicate with us,” he said.
For people with disabilities, Elections Ontario has a whole range of voting possibilities, he said.
Elections Ontario will provide sign language, and permits those who need it to be accompanied by a friend to assist them.
Accessible voting technology is available at returning offices from May 21 up to and including election day, with sip and puff technology, paddles and a tactile advice that allow a voter to cast a ballot independently, he said.
Elections Ontario staff will do home visits from May 5 to election day, bringing the ballot directly to a voter who has mobility issues that prevent a visit to a polling station, and there’s even a COVID curbside version where the staff stay outside the home, he said.
All voting locations have been inspected for accessibility, he said.
“We want to assure them there’s lot of opportunities for them to exercise their right to vote,” Essensa said.
Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Parliament Building in Toronto.
Why does Ontario vote every four years in June?
Premier Doug Ford speaks during an announcement at the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus in Ottawa, Friday, March 25, 2022.
GOLDSTEIN: Instead of serious tax relief, Ford delivers election bribes
The Ford government’s pre-campaign budget is sparking a mix of reaction as nurses slam it as
Ford's budget gets mixed reviews on eve of election campaign
Polling stations will have physical distancing, hand sanitizer, wipes for high-touch areas and masks for anyone who wants one, although at this point masks are not mandatory, he said.
Elections Ontario is hiring people for paid positions on and before election day, and the application process is available on its website.
“We want to encourage very Ontarian, come and help make democracy work,” Essensa said.
aartuso@postmedia.com
Elections Ontario makes it simpler for everyone to vote
Elections Ontario makes it simpler for everyone to vote
