Vancouver’s elections office is attributing long lineups — some reported to be more than three hours long — at byelection voting stations to a record high voter turnout. Read More
Polls are open for the Vancouver byelection from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 25 locations across the city.
Polls are open for the Vancouver byelection from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 25 locations across the city.
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Vancouver’s elections office is attributing long lineups — some reported to be more than three hours long — at byelection voting stations to a record high voter turnout.
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Following complaints on social media about the lengthy queues, the elections office issued a statement Saturday asking for patience while participating in the byelection.
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The election office said it modelled this byelection off data from the past two byelections, and so far, this one has “had significantly higher voter turnout comparatively.”
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Following the record-high voter turnout demonstrated on advance voting days, the office said it added 45 staff members to help with the expected turnout.
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However, it was apparently not enough at some locations. The lineup was so long at Mount Pleasant voters told Postmedia that staff suggested they try another voting location.
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The office also sent additional tabulators to the busiest locations throughout the day to increase processing speeds, and has surplus ballots on hand, the statement said.
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A priority access line is available for voters with diverse access needs, including older adults, pregnant individuals, those with physical or cognitive disabilities, and people with young children, the statement said.
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“Election officials are actively monitoring the lines and encouraging eligible voters to use this service,” staff said. “In addition, curbside voting is available for those unable to enter the polling station.”
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The statement said that staff members are “heartened to see the community’s commitment to participating in this democratic process, especially when byelections have historically had low voter turnout.”
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