No matter how long it takes, get out and vote

If you’re heading to the polls today, be sure to take your voter information card, extra ID, a mask — and a healthy dose of patience. They should all come in handy.

Due to the unusual demands of COVID-19, this federal election day could be the most challenging one in Canadian history. Especially in larger urban centres, voters may have to travel farther and face longer waits in longer queues to cast their ballots than they’ve ever known. The experience could prove both inconvenient and frustrating.

But considering that nothing less than the future of this country is at stake and how precious the right to vote is, people should take a deep breath, persevere and make their mark. They should also cut Elections Canada a little slack.

The pandemic forced the agency to drastically cut back on the number of polling sites being run across the country. Some previous sites were unsuitable this time because of physical-distancing requirements. In addition, some businesses, schools and other organizations that normally host polling stations declined to do so during the ongoing health crisis. The result? There will be 1,178 fewer voting sites in this election than in the one two years ago.

On top of this, Election Canada was, as of late last week, tens of thousands of people short of its goal for hiring election workers, most likely because people were worried about encountering crowds of voters during COVID-19. Whatever the reason, only175,000 poll workers had been hired last week as compared to 230,000 in 2019.

Meanwhile, pandemic-related health restrictions have changed how the polling stations themselves are laid out. Instead of having two returning officers at each voting table, there will only be one this time. That means the job of processing voters will be even slower.

We’re not pointing all this out to discourage anyone from voting but rather to make them prepared for a bit of bother. And if you do have to wait in line, you might spend your time thinking about the following.

First, all elections are important and this one, which could be decided by razor-thin margins in a few ridings, clearly is. Among other urgent issues, it will determine how Canada deals with climate change, child care, pandemic recovery and mandatory vaccinations. Think hard about your options before receiving your ballot.

Second, remember that in the past too many people in this country have been barred from participating in elections because of their gender, ethnicity, race, religion or economic status. People argued, agitated, marched and protested for the right to vote for decades before a universal adult franchise existed for citizens of this country. And Canadians fought and died in foreign wars on the understanding they were protecting this right at home. Never forget that hundreds of millions of people in the world today are denied but yearn for the voting rights Canadians can take for granted. We shouldn’t underestimate the power those rights confer upon us today of all days.

Finally, recall that in last fall’s American elections, voters in that country often waited for hours in long lineups to vote. Indeed, some voters at advance polls in Georgia queued up for 11 hours. While that was undoubtedly a sign of weakness in how voting is conducted in the United States, it was nonetheless an impressive example of voter determination.

Canadian voters should be as committed to their democracy, whatever obstacles they face today. Part of that commitment will be accepting and obeying all the precautions that will accompany voting in the time of COVID. After all, we’re in this pandemic as well as this election together.