Elections Canada sorry for issuing byelection voter cards with wrong information

Elections Canada has issued an apology after distributing cardsthat sentvoters to thewrong polling station in an upcoming Alberta byelection.

"Due to an error during the printing ofvoter information cards, some electors in Medicine HatCardstonWarner may receive a card with incorrect information about the location of their polling place," reads a notice from the agency.

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Elections Canada is reprinting and reissuingcards with the correct place to cast a ballot, which will be marked "Replacement Card."

Elections Canada spokesman John Enright said about 77,000 cards were printed with erroneous information, where the front of the card did not match the back.A majority of the cards were intercepted by working with Canada Post before they were delivered, but some electors may have received them, he said.

New cards have been reprinted and are to be delivered byOct.12, before the first day of advance polling on Oct.14.

Training for poll workers

Enright also said poll workers are being trained on how to deal with voterswho turn up at the wrong polling place.

He couldn't say how much the error could cost.

"At this point, our focus has been to remedy the situation and enabling the vote for all electors who want to vote," he said."We will be in a position to provide costs later."

The notice from Elections Canada says voters can find the correct polling station by going on the agency'swebsite or calling thelocaloffice.

"We apologize to electors for any inconvenience," it read.

Elections Canada fielded a barrage of questions andcomplaintsabout voter cards during last fall's federal election.

Stories of mass confusion emerged across the country afterthousands ofcards containing incorrect information or directing votersto cast their ballot at the wronglocation.

4 ridings up for grabs

The Alberta byelection,to be held Monday, Oct. 24, is to fill the seat thatwas left vacant when Conservative MPJim Hillyerdied suddenly of a heart attack this spring.

There are three other vacancies in the House of Commons:

• Ottawa-Vanier, due to the death of long-time Liberal MP MaurilBlanger.
• Calgary Midnapore, after theresignation of former Conservative MP Jason Kenney.
• Calgary Heritage due to the resignation of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.