Here is the exact procedure from Elections Canada:
Greet the elector by saying “Hello, bonjour”
Ask them if they have their voter card and ID with their name:
a) If they do, find their polling station number on the back of the voter card and direct them to their polling station
b) If they do not or for any other situation, direct them to the Registration Officer
Fun fact. If you are not at the correct polling place, poll workers won’t have any information about you or your name on their registry. Verifying that you are at the correct polling place (via asking for your address at the door) is the first step before even asking about your identity. Functionally electors give proof of both when we look up the address to be certain they belong here, however their identity doesn’t even start to matter yet.
Second fun fact. Verifying their identity can be done many, MANY, ways. You can even show up with no ID and someone else can “vouch” for you (sign a statement saying that they know you and you are the person you claim to be). Also… You don’t even need to show your own face. You can show up covered head-to-toe and all you would need to do is to vouch that you are telling the truth.
Thank you. Never knew this. I shall avoid using it now (I hate link-rot).
Voting was pretty painless. No line up, short wait at the booth while the young couple ahead of me juggled kids to do their thing.
To my surprise, a couple of our employees were not going to vote because they both have only received their citizenships since the last election and didn’t know about platforms or who to vote for. We told them they are entitled to up to three hours paid time if they needed to vote, and there were multiple outlines of party platforms available online for them to look at, so they were encouraged to do their research and vote today. They both looked up the platforms and made their choices.
I don’t really think thats enough to make an informed decision, but its a first step.
I should report my local poll-person. They definitely said “bonjour-hi”
We did this in franglais where the person checking my name and ID did everything in French, while I made small talk in English with the woman knitting something while waiting at the next table over. She then greeted someone else in French as I left. And I’m pretty sure the man at my table was an anglophone.
Also I should add. No one can vote without registering. This leaves a paper trail. After the election every name gets checked, if someone votes more then once they are in big trouble.
The system is set up to both prevent multiple votes and to also allow people to vote despite whatever life conditions they are facing on voting day (including extra service and exemptions due to illness or immobility). This is a right, to deny it requires a lot. However the system is also set up to force the voter to be verbally vow* that they are who they are and that they know what they are doing in case of violations.
ETA: Not verbally, lol. Sign a vow stating as such.
I didn’t give them a chance to say anything. I walked through the doors of the voting place, and said to the first Elections Canada person I saw, “Hi, how’re you doing? Can you tell me where I need to go?” Maybe next time, I should let them speak first.
As an aside, I’ve got CTV on here, and I’m getting tired of the “whoosh” sound they play when they go between commentators in different locations.
I had 3 people all greet me, it probably was a mix of English and French but I didn’t really pay attention because I understand both. I generally expect to do stuff in public in French.
I’m watching the Boston Montreal PWHL game and for now just glancing at the CBC app on my phone.
I agree! The “whoosh” is annoying! My Elections Canada workers gave no greeting other than “May I please see your ID?”, “Great, thanks. Make your way to the station on the right”. No lines, no fuss, completely ordinary, efficient, and manageable. I am grateful for the privilege to vote knowing how many people across the globe struggle to complete this profound but simple act. Our laws make this possible.
It’s public acceptance that makes it possible. We trust each other and Elections Canada to do things correctly. Just writing something down is pointless without that.