Polls open for advance voting

Eligible voters are already heading to the polls in Ontario’s 2018 general election.

Advance voting began Saturday and runs through May 30 at advance voting locations, and until June 1 at returning offices.

Advance voting is open to Canadian citizens who reside in Ontario and are at least 18 years of age on election day — June 7, 2018. It is typically used when an eligible voter can’t make it to the polls on election day.

This time, Elections Ontario is introducing some new technology to speed up service for voters. Electronic poll books (e-Poll books) and vote tabulators are to be used across the province for advance voting for the first time.

“Election officials will use e-Poll books to strike voters’ names from the Voters List before providing them with their ballot,” Elections Ontario says. “Voters will then cast their ballot using vote tabulators, delivering faster and improved service.”

Greg Essensa, Ontario’s chief electoral officer, said modern services are being introduced in a “measured and principled way,” with the new technology being rolled out for the first time in a general election.

On election day, half of the polls will have vote tabulators and e-Poll books serving 90 per cent of electors, according to Elections Ontario.