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3mo ago

Elections Canada Confirms 822 Mislaid Ballots in Federal Election Review

The misplaced special ballots, left in a B.C. returning officer’s office, did not alter any election outcomes, according to initial analysis.

File photo: Outside the polling station at the City of Burnaby's Metrotown banquet hall on election day
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Elections Canada says more than 800 ballots were not counted during the recent federal election, because they were mistakenly left in the riding of Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam.

Overview

  • Elections Canada reported that 822 special ballots were mistakenly left at a returning officer’s office in Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, B.C., during the recent federal election.
  • The ballots, affecting 74 electoral districts across Canada, were not returned to headquarters by the April 28 deadline and therefore were not counted.
  • Over 500 of the mislaid ballots were for the nearby riding of Port Moody—Coquitlam, with others distributed among ridings including Halifax, Nepean, and Vancouver Centre.
  • An initial review confirmed that the misplacement did not impact the outcomes of any races in the affected districts.
  • Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault has initiated a comprehensive review of ballot-handling procedures to prevent future errors and has informed all political parties of the incident.