Special Ballots
Special Ballot voting is an alternative voting method available to electors who feel they will be unable to vote in person at the advance or regular polls. According to the Elections Act, 1991, this method of voting can be available to electors up to four weeks prior to the election or by-election being called.
Interested electors must apply to vote by Special Ballot and, once an application is approved, a Special Ballot kit is issued. This kit consists of a blank ballot and a series of envelopes designed to protect the secrecy of the elector's vote.
Special Ballots are blank because Special Ballot voting is open prior to Official Nomination Day on the election calendar. Therefore, electors must print either the party name, the potential candidate's name (if they know it) or both.
Elections Newfoundland and Labrador coordinates Special Ballot voting at personal care homes and hospitals around the province to facilitate voting for those who are unable to get out to the polls. There are important deadlines to adhere to when voting by Special Ballot and these dates will be communicated to electors who apply.
Elections Newfoundland and Labrador created a Special Ballot voting pamphlet for the 2011 Provincial General Election. It includes information on important deadlines and the application process. The pamphlet is found at the bottom of this page.
- Who Is Eligible To Vote By Special Ballot?
- an elector who has reason to believe that he/she will have difficulty voting on polling day perhaps due to work or personal commitments
- a student who is in attendance at a recognized educational institution either inside or outside the Province
- an elector temporarily residing outside the Province for a continuous period of less than 6 months who is unable to attend at either the advance or regular poll
- an elector who is incarcerated in a correctional institution or in detention at the Waterford Hospital
- a patient in hospital who will be unable to attend either the advance or regular poll
Every person including:
- What Qualifications Have to be Met?
- at least 18 years of age on polling day
- a Canadian Citizen
- ordinarily resident in the district and polling division on polling day
- ordinarily resident in the Province the day before polling day
In order to apply for a Special Ballot a qualified elector must be:
- Where Can I Get An Application for a Special Ballot?
- Elections Newfoundland and Labrador
- The Returning Officer for the electoral district whose name, address and telephone number will be publicly advertised
- To download and print an application from this website, click here
Applications are available from:
- What Information Must Accompany the Application?
- the name of the applicant and the current address of the applicant's residence in the Province
- the applicant's mailing address
- the applicant's date of birth
- proof of the applicant's identity by including:
- one document showing the elector's name, current address and signature such as a valid driver's license; or
- one document, such as a utility bill, showing the elector's current address with the elector actually signing the bill (to compare with the signature on the application form); or
- confirmation by another person (Guarantor's Declaration Form) who can provide proof of the applicant's identity and address of ordinary residence in the electoral district in which the applicant intends to vote. A person is permitted to act as a Guarantor to only one applicant; or
- an affidavit signed before an authorized person (e.g. Commissioner for Oaths, Justice of the Peace) verifying the elector's name, current address and signature.
Note: If the applicant has no identification please consult the Office of the the Chief Electoral Officer.
The following information must accompany an application:
- What Happens Next?
The completed application with accompanying documentation may be mailed, faxed, or hand delivered to the Chief Electoral Office or the district returning office where the elector would ordinarily vote.
