Press release No. 10 - April 7, 2014 general election - Mobile polling in residential facilities and at the elector's domicile

QUEBEC CITY, March 12, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, Jacques Drouin, would like to remind all electors with reduced mobility that they can exercise their right to vote at their domicile or in a residential facility. It should however be noted that in the case of these alternative polling methods, an application must be addressed to the returning officer with due dispatch.

The application must be forwarded by March 24 at the latest for voting at one's domicile and by March 25 for mobile polling in a residential facility.

Voting at an elector's domicile

An elector who is unable to move about for health reasons may vote at his or her domicile. A caregiver living at the same address as the elector is entitled to vote at the same time if he files an application to this effect. Only one caregiver is entitled to vote in this way.

The returning officer must receive the written application by March 24, 2014 at the latest. In it the elector must certify that he or she is unable to move about for health reasons. A witness must sign this declaration.

The application from the elector unable to move may be transmitted by regular mail, fax, or an electronic process involving the reproduction of an electronic signature. If an elector is unable to sign the declaration, a spouse, a parent or a person cohabiting with the elector may sign instead. The caregiver of an elector who can vote at his domicile may submit a written application or do it by telephone.

Polling station personnel will visit electors on March 28 and 29 and on April 1, 2, and 3. The returning officer will let them know at what time the visit will take place.

Electors exercising their right to vote at their domicile, like all other electors, must be registered on the list of electors before they can vote. Electors who realize that they may be eligible to vote at their domicile and who are not registered on the list of electors may ask a board of revisers to come to their place of residence.

Mobile polling in a residential facility

Mobile polling is available for electors who are unable to move about and who are lodged in a facility registered with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. In this case as well, electoral personnel will go to the facility where the electors reside so that they may exercise their right to vote.

Those wishing to avail themselves of this option simply have to ask the returning officer for permission to do so by telephone or in writing, by March 25, 2014 at the latest.

The returning officer will inform the elector about the day and time when the mobile poll is to arrive at the elector's room or apartment. The vote takes place on the same days as the vote by electors at their domiciles.

As is the case for voting at the elector's domicile, the Chief Electoral Officer offers electors unable to move about the option of being visited by the board of revisers to register on the list or to have the list corrected.

How to get in touch with the returning officer

It is easy to find the name and the address or the returning officer on Elections Québec website at the address http://monvote.qc.ca. On the right side of the page, under the title "Important information", click on "Information on electoral divisions" and on the name of the one which interests you.

For more information

For more information concerning how to exercise of one's right to vote, please feel free to consult the section entitled "General Election" on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, at http://monvote.qc.ca.

Those wishing to find out more may also contact the Information Centre (phone number: 1 888 353-2846) at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekends from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. These extended hours are in effect throughout the election period. All applications related to obtaining documents may be sent to the Information Centre as well.

SOURCE: Directeur général des élections

Denis Dion, Information Officer, 418-644-3320 or 1-888-870-3320, [email protected]