The Saskatoon elections team rejected 26 per cent of online applications to vote by mail in the upcoming election, according to the city.
According to Scott Bastian, the City of Saskatoon chief returning officer, nearly 4,500 of the roughly 17,000 applications were denied.
“After careful review, mail-in ballot applications may be rejected due to incomplete information, the form only partially filled out, or in some instances, identification not supplied,” an email said.
But some voters, whose applications the city denied, are wondering why they only found out on the last day to apply.
One Saskatoon voter forwarded her rejection email to Global News. The city sent it at 4:47 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, approximately seven hours before the midnight deadline.
The voter, a senior citizen, said she was frustrated to receive the notice so late in the day, on the last day to apply. She also said she didn’t reapply because she didn’t have time and because she didn’t know why city officials rejected it.
Another voter told Global News her husband received an email from the city on Oct. 30 stating his application had been rejected. She said that she had not yet an email at all.
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The rejection emails ask the public to “consider all voting options available to them” in lieu of voting by mail, citing the advance polls or voting on election day.
When asked for comment, city media relations manager Mark Rogstad directed Global News to an Oct. 28 statement that noted this is the first time the city offered online mail-in applications.
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It also said the process of reviewing the applications was slower than anticipated and acknowledged “some voters have not had a smooth online application experience.”
It advises the voters who received their ballot before Monday, Nov. 2 to mail them immediately to ensure they would arrive on time.
It says anyone who received a mail-in ballot on or after Nov. 2 should drop off the ballot at the city’s election office, at 226 Cardinal Cres. or at several civic centres leading up to the election.
“The provincial law for municipal elections states that mail-in ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on election day (Monday, November 9) by the 2020 Civic Election Office officials in order to be counted,” the Oct. 28 statement says.
But this is precisely what the senior voter was trying to avoid.
She told Global News she has rarely left her house during the pandemic.
The city’s election team called her after her first interview.
She says she’ll book an appointment to vote at the elections office on Nov. 9 — but worries for those who may not be able to do the same.
In addition to the Election Office at 226 Cardinal Cres., mail-in ballots can be dropped off at the following locations
Lakewood Civic Centre, 1635 McKercher Dr,
Nov. 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 6, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 7, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
(Election Day) Nov. 9, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cosmo Civic Centre, 3130 Laurier Dr
Nov. 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov. 7, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Nov. 8, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
(Election Day) Nov. 9, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lawson Civic Centre, 225 Primrose Dr
Nov. 4, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 6, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 7, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 8, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
(Election Day) Nov. 9, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Shaw Civic Centre, 122 Bowlt Crescent
Nov. 4, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 6, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 7, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nov. 8, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
(Election Day) Nov. 9, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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