New Voting Options Launched to Help Ontario Turnout

The province hopes new measures will lead to a bump in turnout after hitting an all-time low in 2007 of just 52.8 per cent.

Elections Ontario is opening up voting for 29 days during the upcoming election campaign in an effort to raise voter turnout in a province that barely cracked the 50-per-cent mark last time around. Granted, voters who want to do so must apply for a special ballot that will be mailed to them, and then head to the riding's returning office to vote, but hey, it's progress. In addition, the agency will send out mail-in ballots for anyone who wants to vote but might not be able to make it to a polling station on or before Oct. 6. Advance polls will also be open for 10 days, from Sept. 21 to 30, which really takes away excuses for not voting (no, not even the “you mean, I have to choose between the party of the guy who couldn't keep a promise if his kids' lives depended on it, the guy who can't do math and has a thing for chain gangs, and the lady who seems alright but is from a party who nearly bankrupted the province 20 years ago?” excuse. We all find a way to cope with that).