Voters in Oxford County can begin casting ballots this weekend for the candidate they would like to represent them on Parliament Hill.
Advance polls for the federal byelection in Oxford open on Friday and continue through to Monday. Polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. over the four day period.
Elections Canada mailed out voter information cards after the byelection was called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 14. Electors can find the location of their assigned polling station on the back of that card, by visiting elections.ca or by calling 1-800-463-6868.
All that is needed to vote is proof of identity and address. This can include a driver’s licence or any other identification issued by the federal or provincial governments that have the voter’s photo, name, and address listed. Those without a driver’s licence can cast a ballot by showing two pieces of Elections Canada approved identification, such as a voter information card and a bank statement or a utility bill and student ID card.
Anyone who doesn’t have an ID can still vote in the election as long as they declare their identity and address in writing and have a fellow voter, who they know and who is assigned to the same polling station, vouch for them. The voucher must have proof of identity and address with them.
Advanced votes can also be cast at the local Elections Canada office in Oxford anytime between now and 6 p.m. on June 13. Additionally, electors have the option to vote by special ballot by applying for it online by June 13 and either mailing it back or dropping it off in person to the local Elections Canada office before polls close on election day.
People who miss or choose not to vote during the advance polls can cast their ballots on election day June 19.
The byelection in Oxford was triggered in January when longtime Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie announced he was retiring. MacKenzie had held the seat since 2004.
Byelections are also being held in three other federal ridings – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount in Quebec, and Winnipeg South Centre and Portage–Lisgar, in Manitoba.
