Can I bring my completed Vote-By-Mail kit to the polls on polling day?
No. All Vote-By-Mail kits must either be returned by mail, or to an Elections NL office prior to the posted deadlines.
What is the deadline to return my Vote-by-Mail kit?
Vote-By-Mail kits must be received by the deadline at Elections NL headquarters in St. John’s.
How do I return my completed special ballot?
You are responsible for returning your Vote-by-Mail kit to Elections NL headquarters (24 Stavanger Drive, St. John’s) by the return deadline.
You can also deliver your completed Vote-By-Mail kit in person to your nearest Elections NL office.
Courier and messenger services are available to assist with returning your Vote-By-Mail kit to your nearest Elections NL office. Please contact your district Returning Office directly to schedule a pickup if you are unable to return your kit in person. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are available when our courier and messenger services arrive to pickup your kit.
If you require further assistance, call your local Elections NL office, or 1-877-729-7987.
Remember, it is your responsibility to meet all established deadlines.
Will you accept Vote-By-Mail kits received late?
No. Vote-by-Mail kits received after the deadline will not be counted.
How do I vote using a Vote-By-Mail kit?
When you vote with a Vote-By-Mail kit, you are voting using a Special Ballot. This ballot will not have a list of candidates to choose from. Instead, there is a blank space to write the name of the candidate you’re voting for. The Vote-By-Mail kit has instructions for how to complete the kit.
A Vote-By-Mail kit includes:
- a special ballot
- a blue declaration envelope with your name, electoral district, and a space where you sign
- a green ballot envelope
- a listing of candidates
- voting instructions
You can only vote once in an election, and you can only vote for a candidate running in your electoral district. The blue declaration envelope will have your electoral district printed below your name.
I requested a Vote-By-Mail kit but I want to vote in-person. Can I still vote at the polls?
No. If you requested a Vote-By-Mail kit you are considered to have voted. Your name on the Voter’s List at the polls will show that you have voted by Special Ballot.
Remember, it is your responsibility to meet all established deadlines.
What is a Vote-By-Mail kit?
A Vote-By-Mail kit is a voting alternative that allows electors to request a Special Ballot to be sent to them by mail. A Vote-By-Mail kit includes instructions on how to complete the kit and mark the ballot. The kit also includes a prepaid return envelope (within Canada) to send the Vote-By-Mail kit back to Elections NL.
Do I need a reason or excuse to request a Vote-By-Mail kit?
Anyone can request a Vote-By-Mail kit. You do not need to provide a reason for requesting a Vote-By-Mail kit.
I am travelling / working / studying abroad during the election and unable to vote in-person. Can I request a Vote-By-Mail kit at a different address than my home?
The deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail kit has now passed.
Can I request a Vote-By-Mail kit by phone?
No, applications for Vote-By-Mail kits will only be accepted through the online Special Ballot Portal.
There are in-person voting options available to you including voting in-person by Special Ballot at your nearest Elections NL office, or in-person at Advance Polls, and on Polling Day. Please contact us toll free at 1-877-709-7987 for more information.
My Vote-By-Mail kit arrived damaged. Can I request a replacement voting kit?
Yes. Please contact us toll free at 1-877-729-7987 and our agents will connect you with a team to assist you.
What safeguards are in place to make Vote-By-Mail secure?
The Vote-By-Mail service offered by Elections NL includes several security and integrity features. Electors who request to Vote-By-Mail must provide proof of identity and address using an online portal. Elections NL has procedures and technology to prevent electors who Vote-By-Mail from voting multiple times. Each returned Vote-By-Mail ballot envelope is kept sealed until mandatory checks are completed. Elections NL counts only ballots that have a valid Vote-By-Mail application and are properly screened. Elections NL has additional measures to identify and detect potential irregularities.
Voting more than once, or in more than one electoral district in a provincial election is an offense under the Elections Act, 1991.
Will Elections NL let me know that my mail-in ballot has been received or counted?
All ballots received by the deadline will be counted.
How do I fill out my Vote-By-Mail ballot?
Your Vote-By-Mail kit contains a write-in ballot, as well as a listing of candidates. Write-in ballots have a blank space to write the name of the candidate you’re voting for. The listing of candidates is organized by electoral district. Select your candidate of choice from your electoral district and write their name in the blank space provided.
If you do not know your electoral district you can find it below your name on the blue declaration envelope contained in your Vote-By-Mail kit.
I’m not sure who the candidates are in my district. Can I just vote for the party?
No. You must write the name of the candidate you are voting for in the space provided on your write-in ballot. A listing of candidates is provided in the Vote-By-Mail kit.
If you only write the name of the party on your ballot, and no candidate name, then your vote will not count.