The record-breaking Manitoba storm isn’t stopping evacuees from casting their vote in the federal election.
The University of Winnipeg is hosting a mega-polling station for people from 13 different evacuated communities to cast a ballot.
“To my knowledge, this is one of the first ones, or it might be the first one,” Marie-France Kenny, Regional Media Advisor for Elections Canada said.
“We have 13 polling stations here for four ridings and those are strictly for evacuees who were evacuated to Winnipeg so they can get to vote as if they were in their own riding.”
Kierra Spence is from Fisher River First Nation and she voted for the first time ever on Monday.
“I knew exactly who I was voting for, I followed the election all the way through,” she said.
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The student taking courses at the University of Winnipeg found the process convenient.
“I was supposed to go to the advanced polls and they got closed as I was going to go out there,” she said.
“I would not have any other way to vote if this wasn’t here.”
Yolanda Thompson is an evacuee from Dauphin River First Nation and she’s also helping out with the polling station.
“They’ll be coming from all over so there’s going to be shuttles coming too from the hotels to vote,” she said.
With power outages still in effect for some Manitoba communities, Elections Canada has been working to make sure people can safely vote.
Kenny says people need to double check on the Elections Canada website and not just go off of the information on the voting card.
“Hydro workers and telecom workers will be voting by special ballot. We know the areas they’re in and we’re providing them with special ballot voting as well.”
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