Election day live: Voter card mix-ups, blackouts, no-shows at polls

Canadians vote for the next prime minister
Canadians vote for the next prime minister (Getty Images)

5:00 p.m. ET

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May casts her vote at St. Elizabeth's Parish while in Sidney, British Columbia Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press via AP)
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May casts her vote at St. Elizabeth's Parish while in Sidney, British Columbia Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press via AP)

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May voted in Sidney, B.C. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh voted in the advanced polls, but he came out to thank all of the volunteers on election day.

3:45 p.m. ET

What was your experience at the polls today? With so many issues reported we want to know what it was like casting a ballot in your local riding. Vote in the poll below, and let us know if you have any ideas on how Elections Canada can improve the voting experience in the comments.

2:45 p.m. ET

Accessibility issues

Voters have discovered that some polling stations aren’t as accessible as they had hoped. Elections Canada states that they most voting locations are accessible and “wherever possible” choose locations that are wheelchair accessible.

Anyone who has a an issue at a polling station today can submit a formal complaint to Elections Canada through their website.

1:45 p.m. ET

A glitch in Montreal and issues with voting cards

Elections Canada has confirmed to CTV News that a technical glitch in the system resulted in several polling station in Montreal opening later than the scheduled time, around 30 minutes later.

Some Canadians have reported a variety of issues with voting cards, ranging from the wrong name being printed on the document to one person receiving two cards, with different voting information.

11:45 a.m. ET

Problems at polls across Ontario

Some residents in the Ottawa West Nepean riding have shared that there is no returning officer at the polling station, which means people were unable to vote and told they had to return back at a later time.

Election Canada responded to one Canadian on Twitter, saying they have “alerted the appropriate team” about the issue.

People in Toronto have also experienced a power outage in the Danforth riding at the Bruce Public School polling station, with Elections Canada staff having to use flashlights proceed with the voting process. According to a Global News reporter, the power has been restored.

10:45 a.m. ET

Elections Canada has advised the public that some polling stations in Manitoba may have reduced voting hours due to power outages following last week’s snowstorm.

Manitoba Hydro crews are still working to restore power. As of Sunday, approximately 2,000 were still in the dark after the storm that destroyed 100 transmission structures and downed about 800 kilometres of power lines in the province.

10:15 a.m. ET

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second from left, votes with wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, and children Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Trudeau faced the threat of being knocked from power after one term as the nation held parliamentary elections on Monday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, second from left, votes with wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, and children Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. Trudeau faced the threat of being knocked from power after one term as the nation held parliamentary elections on Monday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Justin Trudeau arrived at the poll in his Papineau, Que., riding with his wife and children to cast his vote.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet casts his ballot on federal election day in Shawinigan, Quebec, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet casts his ballot on federal election day in Shawinigan, Quebec, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

He followed Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet who voted with his wife in Shawinigan Que.

People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier casts his ballot in Saint-Georges, Quebec, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP)
People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier casts his ballot in Saint-Georges, Quebec, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP)

People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier also voted in Saint-Georges, Que.

——

Canadians are heading to the polls today to vote for the party they most want to lead the country.

Polls are open for 12 hours, closing at 9:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. Central, Atlantic and Newfoundland Time. They close at 7:30 p.m. MT and 7:00 p.m. PT. Canadians can check their voting location by entering their postal code on the Elections Canada website.

The NDP asked Elections Canada to make a special accommodation for thousands of people in First Nation communities who had to be evacuated after a snowstorm hit the province, causing many to relocate to hotels in Winnipeg. Elections Canada is able to adjust voting procedures in the event of a state of emergency.

Elections Canada said it has worked with the Red Cross to ensure that these individuals can vote at the University of Winnipeg until 8:30 p.m. local time.

Where each party stands

Throughout much of the federal election campaign, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party and Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives have been neck-and-neck in support across Canada, with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh seeing an increase in support.

The latest polls, up to the eve of election day, still put the Liberals and Conservatives at a deadlock, prompting most to assume that a minority government result is in Canada’s future.

Trudeau has already sent out a series of tweets urging Canadians to vote, while highlighting what his party has accomplished in the last four years in power.

In a poll that ran for four months previous to the election, Yahoo Canada readers identified that their top issues throughout the election campaign have been taxes, immigration and climate change.

The Liberal Party has consistently highlighted support for the middle class as a core aspect to its platform, in addition to working towards net-zero carbon emission by 2050 to combat climate change and significant investment in health care.

The Conservative Party slogan is to help people “get ahead,” promising to leave more money in the pockets of Canadians. Scheer said that he would scrap the carbon tax if he becomes prime minister and will launch a judicial inquiry into Trudeau’s activity in the SNC-Lavalin scandal.

The NDP want to make life more affordable for Canadians, highlighting their promise for universal pharmacare and implementing a tax on the wealthiest Canadians.

The Green Party, led by Elizabeth May, also has a plan for universal pharmacare, with more comprehensive guidelines to fight climate change.

This is the first election for the People’s Party of Canada, with its leader Maxime Bernier. The party significantly differs in its view on climate change, saying it will completely withdraw from the Paris Accord, and promises to significantly reduce the number of immigrants that come into Canada each year. Canadians will see how much support the party has been able to achieve on Monday night.

Bernier also took to social media on Monday morning to make one last plea to get Canadians to vote for the People’s Party, while also thanking those who had worked on his campaign.