Change in voting rules causing a bit of confusion

I'm sure you have seen the large advertisements in the newspapers from Elections Canada mentioning new rules for voting, but if you haven't paid them much attention, you may want to reconsider. To cast a ballot a voter now needs to show proof of identiy and the list of acceptable documents is a lenghty one.

Even if you have your voter registration card and the name and address really are you, that will not be enough to cast a ballot in this federal election. To avoid frustration and wasted gas on a trip to the polls that you cannot vote at, make sure you bring the right identification. Elections Canada's website has a long list of acceptable identification. (To see the full list click on the title of this post and the webpage will open.)

To prove your idenity you have three options. The first is to present one original peice of government issued identification with a photo such as your driver's liscense.

The second option is to present two original peices of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral officer of Canada. Both peices of ID must contain your name and one must contain your address. An example of this is a health card, birth certificate, Canadian Passport, Veterans Affairs Card, hospital card, hydro bill, lease, etc. (See the full list by clicking on the title of this post.)

The third option is to swear an oath and be vouced for by an elector who is on the list of electors in the same pollling division and who has an acceptable identification.

Hopefully this information will help make election day run smoother for you and the people working at the polls.