'I'm absolutely disgusted': Voters turned away at riding's short-staffed polls

There was confusion and anger at some polling stations in Ottawa WestNepeanMonday as voters were turned away.

Polls were supposed to open at 9:30 a.m. in the Eastern time zone, but some voters found long lines and signs asking them to return later after electionworkers didn't show up.

"I'm very upset," said Natasha Sauve, who was turned away atpoll 60 at Woodroffe High School.

The first-time voter said she hoped to return later in the day, but wasn't sure when she could.

"I work overnight so it's a bit of a hassle to have to try again later because that's when I'm supposed to be sleeping."

Poll delays in Ottawa West-Nepean cause anger, frustration

5 years ago

Duration 1:24

Voters in Ottawa WestNepean expressed frustration this morning after several polls in the riding failed to open on time.

Glenn Saunders was also turned away at the same location.

"I'm taking time off work and this is just crazy. I've never had this problem before," he said.

He wonders how many people won't be able to return to cast their ballots.

"Everybody's got a right to vote and if they can't, [because] the polls aren't open, it's stupid."

At least one poll station in the riding didn't have official electionsigns postedtelling people where to vote.

Eric Young was the first person to arrive at his designated polling station at Briargreen Public School.

He was able to vote, but witnessed otherpeople who couldn't.

"I'm absolutely disgusted. I just can't believe this. What's going on in this country?" he said.

One voter said he convinced his 100-year-old mother to vote only to be turned away, while another called the situation a "mockery."

Backup planstook time

A few different polls can be set up within each polling location, but require two people to staffeach desk.

People must vote at their designated polling station, said Diane Benson with Elections Canada.

Anywhere between 600 to 800 people are hired in each riding to work at both advanced polling locations and polls on Election Day, she said.

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If someone doesn't show up, the chief returning officer has a backup team that can help out or a polling station can merge with another so that voters can still cast their ballots.

It was unclear why neither of these two options happened early on at poll 60, which didn't open until 1:30 p.m.after it was merged with another poll at the same location.

Seven other polls in the same riding also opened between 30 minutes and 4.5 hours late, according to Elections Canada.

For context: in 2015, there were between 180 and 250 polls in each local riding for a total of about 4,350 in the region.

Carleton issue

In extreme circumstances, voters can be given a transfer certificate to be allowed to vote at another location.

Benson said that only happenedafter a power outage affected some polling stations in the Findlay Creek areaMonday morning and affected the elevators at one location.

While those polls in the riding of Carletondid open on time employees used cell phones and flashlights to help people vote people with accessibility issues were given the certificate.

Meanwhile,the urban Gatineau riding of Hull-Aylmeris one of several ridings where voters have reportedmisleading robocallssuggesting voting actually takes place on Tuesday, which it does not.