March 4, 2016
Table of Contents


 

Absentee Ballot Kit Postage

Each RO has been provided with a stack of postage-paid envelopes to mail absentee ballot kits to absentee voters:

  • 125 E-129AD postage-paid envelopes (for domestic absentee voters)
  • 75 E-129AI postage-paid envelopes (for international absentee voters)

It has come to our attention that the postage included on these envelopes is invalid.  ROs will need to purchase and place stamps on these envelopes prior to mailing absentee ballot kits.

The absentee voter is responsible for paying the postage to return their absentee ballot UNLESS they are in a correctional facility, in which case ROs will place a stamp directly onto the return envelope prior to mailing the absentee ballot kit.

ROs will need to determine how many stamps they will need.  For example, if all Domestic E-129AD envelopes are sent out, 125 Stamps would be needed.  If all of the applicants are from a correctional facility, then ROs would need another 125 stamps for the return envelopes.  International applications require additional postage as well.

ROs were provided with 10 postage stamps in their returning office supplies. Please use your P-Card to purchase additional postage as required.

 

Processing Absentee Voter Applications

Any eligible voter within your constituency who is unable to vote at an advance poll or on election day can apply to be an absentee voter.  Absentee Voter Applications have been available in printed form and online for some time now at the following web address: https://www.elections.sk.ca/voters/ways-to-vote/absentee-voter-application.pdf

As soon as the Writ of Election is issued, absentee voters will be able to visit the returning office to bring in their completed applications.  Please ensure that you are ready to process these applications and administer the absentee vote as soon as your office is open to the public.  Remember, absentee voters can:

  • Mail, fax, or scan and email a completed application.
  • Fill out or bring in a completed application and vote in person within the returning office.
  • Pick up an absentee voter application from the returning office and take it with them to complete and submit at a later time.

Absentee Voter Applications are processed by following these steps:

  1. Voter submits their application and ID.
  2. ROs reviews the application and ID for completeness.
  3. If the voter is registered and has provided acceptable ID, then the Absentee Ballot kit is sent to the voter in a timely manner.

In reviewing Absentee Voter Applications it is particularly important:

  • To ensure that the applicant is a registered voter within your constituency.
  • That the application form is complete.
  • That it is signed by the voter.
  • That a copy of the required identification is provided.

If an applicant is NOT currently a registered voter, you must follow these steps:

  1. The RO can register the voter in the Voter Registration Portal, because the Absentee Voter Application acts as a signed declaration confirming their personal information and that the voter has met all requirements to be an eligible voter – the same type of declaration as is used at the polls to register. 
  2. If you are unable to register through the Voter Registration Portal (due to an incomplete address, street doesn’t exist, etc.) scan a copy of the Absentee Voter Application and email to [email protected].
  3. If the voter has not provided acceptable ID, contact the voter by email or phone and ask them to submit acceptable ID.
  4. Once acceptable ID is received, the voter’s application can be processed.

Once you have approved an Absentee Voter Application for a voter who came to your office in person, you can provide the voter with an absentee ballot kit and permit them to vote within the designated absentee polling station within your office.

If the application has arrived in your office by mail, it is extremely important that the application be reviewed and processed immediately and that an absentee ballot kit is sent by Canada Post to applicants right away.  All voters, regardless of being domestic or international, should be sent ballots by Canada Post Letter-Post.  

If a voter decides to personally return his or her absentee ballot to the returning office, they must do so before the close of voting on election day.  Absentee ballots returned by mail must be received by 12:00 noon on the 10th day following election day (April 14).  Be sure to check the postmark, because any envelope that was mailed after the close of voting on election day is not eligible to be counted.

 

Updating Head Office on Confirmed Workers

In Issue Ten of the Newsfeed, we asked ROs to email an update on the number of poll workers confirmed and the E-113 spreadsheet.  Many of you requested that we delay this task until after the writs are issued so you can instead focus on preparing for the election in other key ways. 

With this request in mind, the date to submit initial information on confirmed workers by emailing the E-113 has been extended until the first Friday after the writs of election are issued.  Beginning on the first Friday after the writs of election are issued, and then again every following Tuesday and Friday during the writ period, please email a copy of the E-113 to Susan Kalcsits at [email protected].

This information will be used to ensure that each constituency has enough staff to help each eligible voter to cast their ballot.  Please be diligent in reporting this information.