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The Maple Leaf Lounge

Voting day and I still haven't received my voting card. Can vote without it, but still...it's the principle. I think I'll make it a point to let them know I haven't received mine.
 
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If you can vote without it, then why do they send it to you?

Sorry, just curious. Another part of Canadian politics I know nothing about. :lol:
 
It basically confirms that you're registered to vote, and where to vote. And if you choose to do the early voting, you can only do it with possession of the card. Less people were apparently not able to do early voting seeing as they hadn't yet received their cards.
 
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It basically confirms that you're registered to vote, and where to vote. And if you choose to do the early voting, you can only do it with possession of the card. Less people were apparently not able to do early voting seeing as they hadn't yet received their cards.
Then there'd be a greater chance people might not vote at all if their card doesn't come.
 
not looking like a good night for the liberals.

They'll finally have enough seats for offical party status but they'll still wind up in 3rd place despite getting more votes than the NDP.

This was mentioned on the local news a couple of days back - the NDP has some strong hold where it can pick up the seats but for the liberals the support is more widespread across the province.

then you had the liberal candidate in my riding who was on tv basically conceding the election and saying the crombie was working to be the opposition leader.

as it standard she's trailing by 7% though 338canada had her riding as a toss-up between the conservatives and liberals.
 
Then there'd be a greater chance people might not vote at all if their card doesn't come.

It doesn't affect the ability to vote at all as long as you bring proper identification. About the only thing it does do is serve as a reminder. But this snap election was done so haphazardly. My parents ended up both getting their voter cards, while I did not and we're all part of the same household.

One of our candidates said this:
Many people didn't get their voter cards in the mail until Tuesday, he said, after the three advance voting opportunities had closed (advance votes could still be cast at the local election offices).
 
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It basically confirms that you're registered to vote, and where to vote. And if you choose to do the early voting, you can only do it with possession of the card. Less people were apparently not able to do early voting seeing as they hadn't yet received their cards.

This is one way to disenfranchise someone.

Is there a pattern to it, like certain regions or income levels within regions?
 
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This is one way to disenfranchise someone.

Yeah, tell me about it. There's nothing quite like telling people to go out and vote and never receiving a voter card. I've never had it happen to me in all the years I've been voting. Kind of has the effect of making someone feel like they don't matter.

There doesn't seem to be a pattern to it as far as I'm aware. My parents both received theirs; my Mom was the first to receive hers, then several days later my Dad got his. Interestingly, out of the two women manning the polling station, one of them also said they'd never received theirs either. I've perused some comments online, and there was something about the fact that people in Southern Ontario might have gotten theirs first. But I think it also ends up showing the gap between Southern and Northern Ontario, and we in Northern Ontario often end up feeling forgotten.


Interestingly, Ford directly attacked the two NDP candidates of our region, saying they were only at Queen's Park half the time, which is rich because they're the only two who have had our backs the entire time, and both of them got re-elected last night.
 
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No one in my house got their cards to my knowledge, and yet we all still managed to get the voting done.

I am, of course, displeased and disturbed by the outcome yet again. 57 % of those eligible to vote...did not vote.
 
I wonder if not receiving a voting card had anything to do with low voter turn out?
 
I wonder if not receiving a voting card had anything to do with low voter turn out?

doubt it.

Especially as the card isn't need to vote and there were numerous news reports saying if you didn't have the voter ID card you just need photo ID plus the information was available on the elections ontario website.

voter turnout was slight above where it was in 2022.

Yesterday was was 45.4% according to Elections Ontario, for 2022 it was 44.06% (wiki entry for the relevant election).

Look at the figures for my riding a for discussion elsewhere and around 50% is our norm. Only time it's pushing 60% is where you're looking at a change in govt such as 2003 and 2018.
 
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Especially as the card isn't need to vote and there were numerous news reports saying if you didn't have the voter ID card you just need photo ID plus the information was available on the elections ontario website.

Believe it or not, there are people who don't have photo ID, or at least not the kind that some outfits accept. And how many people make a habit of reading their province's elections website?
 
Believe it or not, there are people who don't have photo ID, or at least not the kind that some outfits accept. And how many people make a habit of reading their province's elections website?

it was in the media about what to if you voter ID card hadn't arrived so the information was out there.

And people could have found the answer in 30 seconds with a search engine.

you know, that little thing called research.

There would be very few people in Ontario who don't have any sort of govt issue photo id because health cards have photos on them and you'd just need a bill of some kind with showing your address. Because no numbers are recorded off the card it can be used as ID for voting.

You can also get a photo ID card from the province issued through the same process as a drivers license.
 
You can also get a photo ID card from the province issued through the same process as a drivers license.

All my family members who don’t drive have one of these, and it works great. Can be used anywhere a driver’s license is used for ID. And it’s much cheaper than a driver’s license too: currently only $35 for five years versus $90 for a driver’s license. (With the understanding that this could still impose some hardship for those with limited financial means.)

Very happy that the province made those an option in 2011. Prior to that, my non-driving family members always had issues when asked for ID, since most places won’t accept the health card.
 
Yeah, I don't drive and several years ago I had to apply a provincial photo ID card. For several things, it's the only thing they'll recognize. In certain cases, health cards are not a valid form of ID, and I learned that the hard way several years ago when I tried to buy a phone and have it applied to my account. Basically was told that the only ones that should recognize health cards are health institutions such as hospitals, Dr's offices, clinics and labs. Everything else, you either need a driver's license or photo ID card. That's what prompted me to apply for one and it's been useful ever since.
 
Yeah, I don't drive and several years ago I had to apply a provincial photo ID card. For several things, it's the only thing they'll recognize. In certain cases, health cards are not a valid form of ID, and I learned that the hard way several years ago when I tried to buy a phone and have it applied to my account. Basically was told that the only ones that should recognize health cards are health institutions such as hospitals, Dr's offices, clinics and labs. Everything else, you either need a driver's license or photo ID card. That's what prompted me to apply for one and it's been useful ever since.

If can depend on the circumstances but a health card can be used as ID with a major caveat.

It's fine for buying booze or cigarettes (irony of such as purchases aside) because you're just showing it (see it happen and looked into it).

But when doing something like activating a cellphone where they record numbers then that's not going to fly. Those numbers count as part of your health information and can't be recorded.

And according to Elections Ontario, the health card can be used for photo ID in conjunction with something with your name and address such a tax NOA, utlity bill or bank statement (thought it was the was from working the 2022 election but wanted to confirm).

Very happy that the province made those an option in 2011. Prior to that, my non-driving family members always had issues when asked for ID, since most places won’t accept the health card.

Places might not be aware it can be used for ID or it's the situation where information off the card is recorded and as such the software isn't written to record the health card number.

But the photo ID cards are definitely a boon to those who don't drive. Neither my wife or I drive (or me that's probably a very good thing :) For 5 years I my PR card but when you get naturalised, you surrender the card where there for the ceremony.

I just wish the province hadn't back flipped on setting things up so they could be stored in the Apple Wallet etc.
 
I just wish the province hadn't back flipped on setting things up so they could be stored in the Apple Wallet etc.
I would never use a digital driver's license.

Not only am I not exactly a hundred percent in love with giving the police my phone, but I don't always HAVE my phone (I never take it to work).
 
If can depend on the circumstances but a health card can be used as ID with a major caveat.

It's fine for buying booze or cigarettes (irony of such as purchases aside) because you're just showing it (see it happen and looked into it).

Sure, but I believe they've only become more strict about the usage ever since the Photo ID card became introduced. And before that, when I was growing up, you could apply for an ID card from the LCBO to show you were of age, but those were only applicable up to a certain age.
 
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