Pandemic era elections
Oct. 27th, 2020 12:42 pmThe Coronavirus pandemic has changed so many aspects of how we live our lives, including the way we vote in elections. For example, consider the situation with the recent by-election in Toronto Centre:
https://www.cp24.com/news/advance-polls-open-in-two-toronto-byelections-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-1.5146786?cache=yes%3FclipId%3D104066
But even before Covid-19, we saw a lot of hand-wringing over disaffected youth and their lack of interest in politics. There was a feeling that if we made it more convenient for them to vote - especially by providing the option of online voting - we would see a far greater participation rate in that demographic. Now that so much of life has moved online, perhaps the time is ripe to make online voting a permanent feature of the new reality.
Of course, we wouldn't want to neglect other segments of the electorate either. Up to now, there has been a high in-person turnout rate amongst seniors, despite the fact that many of them face some serious mobility and visual challenges (not to mention challenges in proving their identity if they don't have drivers' licences or employer-issued i.d. cards). And they tend to be the very people who are most likely to be self-isolating during a pandemic. They also vary considerably in their level of comfort with online technology. So clearly the ideal public policy choice is one that offers a multiplicity of ways for voters to cast their ballots.
What about mail-in ballots? The Elections Canada website has a detailed section on these:
https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=bkg&document=ec90540&lang=e
They may be used not just by eligible voters who are currently out of the country but also by those who are in the area but unable or unwilling to go to a polling station in person. Are they more susceptible to fraud than other voting methods? Certainly there's been a lot of controversy about that with the upcoming U.S. election.
In Canada, I have to say that my main concern would be coercive voting: that domineering spouse, parent or boss who offers some major incentive or disincentive to get the voter to vote in a certain way. Yes, it's definitely illegal and highly unethical. But how would you effectively control the situation when there's no private voting booth and no on-site scrutineers?
In general, I think Canadians tend to be law-abiding people who believe in democratic elections. Still, we can't afford to let our guard down and jeopardize the integrity of the electoral process.
https://www.cp24.com/news/advance-polls-open-in-two-toronto-byelections-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-1.5146786?cache=yes%3FclipId%3D104066
But even before Covid-19, we saw a lot of hand-wringing over disaffected youth and their lack of interest in politics. There was a feeling that if we made it more convenient for them to vote - especially by providing the option of online voting - we would see a far greater participation rate in that demographic. Now that so much of life has moved online, perhaps the time is ripe to make online voting a permanent feature of the new reality.
Of course, we wouldn't want to neglect other segments of the electorate either. Up to now, there has been a high in-person turnout rate amongst seniors, despite the fact that many of them face some serious mobility and visual challenges (not to mention challenges in proving their identity if they don't have drivers' licences or employer-issued i.d. cards). And they tend to be the very people who are most likely to be self-isolating during a pandemic. They also vary considerably in their level of comfort with online technology. So clearly the ideal public policy choice is one that offers a multiplicity of ways for voters to cast their ballots.
What about mail-in ballots? The Elections Canada website has a detailed section on these:
https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=bkg&document=ec90540&lang=e
They may be used not just by eligible voters who are currently out of the country but also by those who are in the area but unable or unwilling to go to a polling station in person. Are they more susceptible to fraud than other voting methods? Certainly there's been a lot of controversy about that with the upcoming U.S. election.
In Canada, I have to say that my main concern would be coercive voting: that domineering spouse, parent or boss who offers some major incentive or disincentive to get the voter to vote in a certain way. Yes, it's definitely illegal and highly unethical. But how would you effectively control the situation when there's no private voting booth and no on-site scrutineers?
In general, I think Canadians tend to be law-abiding people who believe in democratic elections. Still, we can't afford to let our guard down and jeopardize the integrity of the electoral process.