Voters being falsely told they need Photo ID

16 posts / 0 new

Mon, 2015-10-12 22:39

6079_Smith_W

Ordinarily I wouldn't think this would need its own thread, but as it says in the quote, this is urgent.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/elections+canada+asking+improper+ques...

Quote:

When she got home, Sydiaha called Elections Canada’s main number in Gatineau, Quebec to get assurances the practice would stop. She said the first official told her voters did need photo ID.

“I was shocked, so I asked to talk to someone else,” she said.

A supervisor came on the line and admitted this issue was a problem across the country, Sydiaha said. She was passed on to a third staff person, who offered to take her complaint. Sydiaha said she’d like assurances workers will not ask first for photo ID, she was told the concern would be marked “urgent.”

Mon, 2015-10-12 22:52

quizzical

well we went to vote tonight as a family. and i wasn't going to be allowed to vote without someone swearing an oath i am who i AM, because my DL said one street address while my voter card said another. meanwhile the poll clerks were yelling my name across the hall while i was at reception being denied by someone who also knew me.

i had to go get my hydro bill which matched the voters card.

Mon, 2015-10-12 23:04

6079_Smith_W

Someone here may know a better procedure than me, but aside from calling Elections Canada, I called the campaign office of our candidate and let them know this was going on so they can alert scrutineers.

Tue, 2015-10-13 01:16

Marco C

WOW... ok I have to admit I've been telling people they should take Photo ID with them if they come in to my office to ask... just shows how confusing the new law is for someone who's been working the whole election.

Even the Elections Canada site is a bit inconsistent on the Photo ID thing.

1) Show one of these pieces of ID

your driver's licence
your provincial or territorial ID card
any other government card with your photo, name and current address

2) Show two pieces of ID

At least one must have your current address

But then it goes on to list ID without a Photo... Oxymoronic, Why require Photo ID in step 1 but be ok with a debit/credit Card or even a check and a phone bill in step 2?

Tue, 2015-10-13 01:18

Debater

This is Harper's Canada.

A Canada where for the first time in our history we have to worry about the integrity of the voting system.

VOTE HIM OUT!

Tue, 2015-10-13 01:25

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
Oxymoronic, Why require Photo ID in step 1 but be ok with a debit/credit Card or even a check and a phone bill in step 2?

Because one piece of ID is sufficient IF it has your photo, and otherwise you'll need more than one piece of ID.

How is this an oxymoron? Or even confusing?

Tue, 2015-10-13 01:54

Marco C

Because two pieces of non photo ID (with an address) isn't equalt to one Photo ID.

It's easer to fake non photo ID then Photo ID... not that we even needed this change to our elections in the first place.

Tue, 2015-10-13 13:36

Mr. Magoo

Is that actually a change, though? Before I got myself an Ontario photo ID card, I would vote with my birth certificate and a utility bill. Last time I voted, the photo ID was sufficient.

Tue, 2015-10-13 18:07

Sean in Ottawa

Mr. Magoo wrote:

Is that actually a change, though? Before I got myself an Ontario photo ID card, I would vote with my birth certificate and a utility bill. Last time I voted, the photo ID was sufficient.

The changes were that the voter card itself could not be used as one of the ID options. Vouching as an option was also removed (for identity).

Tue, 2015-10-13 18:15

#10

Mr. Magoo

That's what I thought. Not sure what either of those has to do with one piece of photo ID *or* two pieces of non-photo ID. Hasn't that been the rule for years??

Tue, 2015-10-13 18:21

#11

Unionist

Marco C wrote:

WOW... ok I have to admit I've been telling people they should take Photo ID with them if they come in to my office to ask... just shows how confusing the new law is for someone who's been working the whole election.

Or, how confused someone is.

Quote:
Even the Elections Canada site is a bit inconsistent on the Photo ID thing.

Not even a little bit, if you take the time to read it.

Quote:
Oxymoronic, Why require Photo ID in step 1 but be ok with a debit/credit Card or even a check and a phone bill in step 2?

Because there's an "OR" between those options.

Quote:
It's easer to fake non photo ID then Photo ID...

Thanks for the tip!

If I were you, I wouldn't advise people about the rules.

Tue, 2015-10-13 20:03

#12

laine lowe laine lowe's picture

I read and reread the Elections Canada web page and went to the advance poll armed with my voter registration card, Passport (government issued photo ID) and a credit card bill that has my address. They reviewed all three items before registering me and letting me vote. This is one of the reasons that there were long waiting lines since there was no short cut to voting whether you had a voter registration card or not.

Tue, 2015-10-13 20:10

#13

quizzical

i phoned Elections Canada today and got snotted at. it was my fault i moved 3 blocks over, my mail box number remained the same.

Tue, 2015-10-13 20:11

#14

quizzical

so they wasted all those millions on voter id cards we didn't need or use

Tue, 2015-10-13 20:33

#15

Mr. Magoo

It's not a voter "ID" card, it's a voter information card.

It was sent to you to tell you what riding you're in, where you'll be voting, when advance polls are open, accessibility information, etc., etc.

Tue, 2015-10-13 20:36

#16

Sean in Ottawa

quizzical wrote:

so they wasted all those millions on voter id cards we didn't need or use

Yes -- and in some cases they had the wrong information on them.