U.S. citizen in Yukon turns up on federal voters list
An American who lives in Whitehorse has received a voter information card from Elections Canada, telling him where to cast a ballot.
The only problem? Rian Buchanan is not a Canadian citizen and therefore not eligible to vote.
It's just one of thousands of mistakes made by Elections Canada on voter information cards this election.
Buchanan said at first he thought maybe the rules had changed and that, as a permanent resident, he had the right to vote.
"I looked it up online. 'Can I vote, can I not vote, did the rules change?' And, I still can't vote," he said from his home in the Porter Creek subdivision.
Buchanan said it's a serious mistake and if enough ineligible people are given cards and vote accidentally, it could have an impact on the election.
"I feel like they didn't think things through or they're not really paying attention, which is sad considering it's Elections [Canada]. I may not go and vote because I know I'm not supposed to, but that doesn't mean that everyone who is a permanent resident doesn't know they can't vote."
Earlier this month, CBC learned that hundreds of Yukoners received incorrect voter information cards directing them to cast ballots in communities hundreds of kilometres away.
Marc Mayrand, Canada's chief electoral officer, told CBC these administrative errors happen every time there's a federal election.
"Ninety-five per cent of electors will get the correct card, a few will not, and the system is designed to bring to our attention any error," he said.
But Buchanan says he doesn't understand how there can be that many mistakes.
"I think that there should be a list of who can vote... and they should be able to follow that list and it shouldn't be that complicated."
