Elections Canada has informed that thousands of Canadians will not participate in the election process because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the deadline for the mail-in ballot ended on Tuesday evening, the Election committee said that if any person would diagnose for Covid between now and Election Day then he/ she would not be able to vote.
According to the Canadian local news channel CTV News, Spokesmen of Elections Canada said, “If someone has COVID, they should be in quarantine and that would make it impossible for them to show up at a polling place.”
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According to the FAQ section at the official site of Elections Canada, electors should contact their local public health authority for advice on what to do if they develop symptoms. If an elector tests positive, their public health authority will explain the next steps to them. But, after Tuesday, September 14, electors who have or believe they have COVID-19 and have not already applied to vote by mail will not be able to vote.
The Election administrators further urged that the health and safety of electors and poll workers is our priority. We ask that any elector who thinks they may have COVID-19 or who has tested positive for the virus to isolate, stay home and not come to an Elections Canada office or polling place.
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Safety Measures to be followed during the federal elections 2021:
- Masks will be available to electors who do not bring their own.
- Poll workers will be provided with masks, face shields and other protective equipment.
- There will be hand sanitizing stations at polling places. Poll workers will be sanitizing work stations, door handles and common surfaces throughout the day.
- Single-use pencils will be provided. Electors can also bring their own pen or pencil.
- We ask that any elector who thinks they may have COVID-19 or who has tested positive for the virus to isolate, stay home and not come to an Elections Canada office or polling place. They should instead visit elections.ca to find out what other voting method is available to them.
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To date, Canada has reported 15,59,410 coronavirus cases, 27, 305 people have succumbed to the virus and 14,89,782 people have recovered.