Community News

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ONTARIO ELECTION

THERE ARE SEVERAL CHANGES FOR THIS ELECTION, INCLUDING AN ELECTIONS ONTARIO SMARTPHONE APP

SHANE MACDONALD shanemacdonald@ simcoe.com

Ontario's chief electoral officer, Greg Essensa recently talked to media about the upcoming provincial election and what voters should know.

There are several changes for this election, which begins with the writ being issued on May 4 and concludes with election day on June 2.

To begin with, Elections Ontario has a new smartphone app that provides voters with an electronic voter ID card, maps to voting stations and information on candidates.

"This app now allows the elector to choose how they interact with us," Essensa said, noting users can sign up for notifications. "In this digital age, it is allowing us to connect with electors on a device that most everyone has in their pocket."

The timeline for advanced polls has also changed, moving from five days to 10 days. Polling officers will have the ability to rotate polls in communities.

"That means during the 10 days, they may have a poll open in one community for three or four days, another community for another four or five days, but overall, we have coverage of all 10 days," Essensa said. "That ultimately affords electors more choice, more opportunity for them to come and exercise their right to vote early."

Advance polls will be available between May 19 and May 28.

Voters will have the opportunity to request a vote by mail ballot as well. Voters have until 6 p.m. on May 27 to request a vote by mail ballot.

Essensa encouraged people to make sure they are registered to vote and their information is correct with Elections Ontario, so that they receive their voter information card.

To vote, you will need the voter information card and one piece of identification.

And for those interested, the election provides an employment opportunity.

"We hire in excess of

55,000 people to work for us on election day, these are all paid positions," Essensa said.

For more information about working with Elections Ontario, visit jobs.elections.on.ca/en/

apply.

Essensa said the pandemic has presented some challenges, but he is confident that Elections Ontario will be able to safely deliver the election on June 2.

"This election has been

a challenge certainly with COVID, we had to reassess all our plans," he said. "We recognized that we needed to upgrade our systems and we've done that to make it as easy as possible to exercise the right to vote."

PROVINCIAL ELECTION

en-ca

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281578064270501

Metroland Media Group Ltd.