Guelph to see 30 per cent reduction in polling locations

With numerous ridings across Canada seeing a reduction in the number of polling locations during the upcoming Sept. 20 election, some people will find their polling location will be further away from home.

The most up-to-date data from Election’s Canada shows the Guelph riding will experience a significant drop from the 61 sites used in the 2019 election to 43 this election.

This represents a drop of 18 polling locations in the region that saw 76,020 ballots cast in the 2019 general election.

Dugald Maudsley, Greater Toronto Area regional media advisor with Elections Canada, said the reduction in polling locations is due to the ongoing pandemic which has hampered Elections Canada’s usual polling stations.

“As a result, we ended up with fewer sites in order to ensure that at those sites we had social distancing and they would be at safe places for people to go,” said Maudsley. “But at each of those larger polling sites, we have many more polling places, or service points if you want to call them that.”

Maudsley said Elections Canada wanted to balance safety and accessibility.

And while the number of polling locations has dropped, the number of polling stations has increased from 209 to 210.

Maudsley said Elections Canada upheld and in some instances such as in Guelph increased the number of polling stations to allow for the influx of people to vote safely and quickly.

Carole Stewart, an 80-year-old Guelph resident came across the issue of reduced polling stations when she found out her usual polling location had moved from 400 metres away to a two-kilometre trek down Woolwich Street.

“I think the question of decreasing the number of polling stations is something that is worth considering,” said Stewart.

With access to a car, Stewart said she was lucky enough to be afforded the ability to navigate to the further polling station.

“Some older people who can not drive would find it a great disadvantage, but I am an older person who can drive,” said Stewart.“People my age often have trouble getting to a polling station unless they ask a friend.”

In comparing Guelph to neighbouring regions, the Wellington-Halton Hills riding will see a reduction of six polling stations, Wellington-Perth will see two fewer polling stations while the neighbouring city of Cambridge will drop from 76 polling stations to 44.

“The idea was to maintain accessibility through other options than actually going to vote in person at an advance poll or on election day, and we really made vote-by-mail a much easier process,” said Maudsley.

As of midnight on Sunday, 2,234 mail-in ballots of the 3,730 voting kits issued to electors living in Canada voting by mail or at an Elections Canada office from inside their riding have been returned.

Maudsley said on Monday that while this is the most up-to-date data, polling locations and places have been added to some ridings.