While the official date of the federal election is April 28, early voting begins tomorrow at Wylie Mitchell Hall in Estevan.
“There will be four polls there, and you can start voting from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday,” said Gwen Van De Woestyne, the assistant returning officer for both Estevan and Weyburn.
The most important thing to bring is ID.
“I would suggest that if you have your driver’s license, we can take that as a standalone ID,” Van De Woestyne said.
Voters must provide a photo ID and proof of address. Acceptable proof includes utility bills or property tax notices from the RM of Estevan, and digital versions are permitted.
“The big deal is to confirm where you live, because that’s how you vote in our electoral district—by where you live.” Van De Woestyne said.
Anyone in line at 9 p.m. when the polls close will still be able to vote. An information officer will stand at the back of the line to mark the cutoff.
“Everybody in front of that person will vote, so we will stay until we’re finished with the line. And that goes for election day as well,” Van De Woestyne said.
Van De Woestyne said Elections Canada prioritizes accessibility, both in building access and with voting materials.
“We have Braille translations, we have large print. You can have someone vouch for you. There are a variety of ways to make sure that every single Canadian over 18 who is a citizen gets to vote, regardless of where they live."
“It’s really important—this is part of your rights as a Canadian citizen.”
For those unable to attend advance polls but who still want to vote ahead of election day, voting by mail is also an option.
“We have mail-in kits here and you just need to come in and grab one,” Van De Woestyne said, noting that special ballots are also available at the Elections Canada office at 110-1175 Nicholson Road in Estevan.
“We can do a special ballot for you, and your vote will count just like if you went to the advance polls.”
Following the completion of early voting, there will be a five-day break to remove names from the voter list ahead of election day.
Van De Woestyne said the early voting process has gone smoothly so far in Estevan, with nearly 200 people having already cast their ballots. Turnout was slower initially, as early voters had to write in candidate names before the final slate was confirmed.
This is her first time serving as a returning officer for a federal election, though she worked in a different role during last fall’s provincial election. She said one of the biggest differences is the logistics: federally, people can vote from anywhere in the country and their ballots are mailed to their home ridings.
“People are really committed to voting here. They feel like their voice should be heard, and it’s actually refreshing to see how many people are adamant—‘I’m going to be gone, so I need to come in and vote,’ or ‘What time are the advance polls?’”
She encouraged everyone to vote—either in advance, by special ballot, or at the polls on election day. On April 28, polling stations will be set up at Affinity Place, the Wylie Mitchell building, and the Church of God.
She reminded voters that while ballots cannot be cast at the Elections Canada office on election day, staff will still be available to answer questions.
Despite the tight timeline, Van De Woestyne said her team is on track.
“This is the shortest election on record. This is the shortest legal amount of time that an election can be done."
She credited her experienced team for helping keep things on schedule.
“I have two people working here who have done several elections, so they knew what it was going to look like. We’re voting Friday, but [the ballots] are printed, they’re ready, and we will be absolutely ready to go.”
She also praised long-time elections coordinator Margaret Tuchscherer for helping navigate the logistical challenges.
“Margaret Tuchscherer has run these elections for years, so she knows exactly what it should look like,” Van De Woestyne said. “She’s got great contacts. So if anything does come up—I know we’ve moved a few venues—if you can’t rent it that day, then you move it somewhere else.”