Elections Quebec weighs in on the voter registration process and the thorny domicile issue.
Spokesperson defends process
The heated debate over who qualifies as “domiciled” in Quebec rages on, with some young people still wondering if they are being unfairly prevented from voting.
Many Canadian students originally from other provinces continued to come forward on Tuesday, saying they had been rejected from registering for the April 7 election, and questioning if their right to vote had been suppressed.
While Jacques Drouin, the chief electoral officer, dispelled PQ allegations the election was being “stolen,” questions persist about the voter-registration process.
Denis Dion, a spokesperson for Elections Quebec, spoke to The Gazette about the process and an issue he wishes would go away because “we have an election to manage.”
Q: Can you explain how revision boards work?
A: There are three people on each revision committee in each riding. All the parties are consulted about who will be president of the board. The second reviser is appointed on the recommendation of the party that ranked first in the last election, and the third reviser by the party that ranked second.
Q: Students are complaining that these boards can indiscriminately reject them from electoral lists.
A: Of all the electoral personnel, revisers are the people who receive the most training. They have to pass an exam. Once that’s done, the board has the status of an administrative tribunal with quasi-judicial powers.
Q: So the DGE can’t override their decisions?
A: When the PQ wanted us to check if the revisers had done a good job, we couldn’t legally do it because their decisions are final, except for one possibility. Someone who is denied the right to register can come back before the board with new information.
Q: Has anyone instructed the revisers ...
A: To block the students? Complete nonsense. The answer is “No.” You’re registered if you can prove you’re domiciled in Quebec. You’re not registered if you can’t prove you’re domiciled in Quebec. The fact you’re a student or not has no relevance.
Q: There are cases of students who are born in Quebec, or who have a driver’s licence and medicare card from Quebec, who have been rejected from the list.
A: I wasn’t there, so I can’t say if the reviser gave a good decision. A health card alone is not enough. You have to establish your civil life is in Quebec.
Q: All these students showing up with passports and Hydro bills, it’s not enough to prove domicile?
A: The passport proves Canadian citizenship, which is one of the conditions, but it doesn’t prove domicile. Neither (does) a Hydro bill.
Q: If someone shows up with an income-tax return and a passport, is that enough?
A: It’s up to the board of revisers.
Q: Do you think the law here overseeing the revision process needs to be changed?
A: It’s my fourth election here, and it’s the first time we’re having a problem.
Q: Students continue to say their right to vote is being suppressed.
A: In the way of an organized policy of the chief electoral officer? It’s bullish-t.
Q: Students are going to be allowed to register and vote on campus for the first time, beginning Friday. Are you concerned this issue will persist and cause problems?
A: There’s going to be a board of revisers on each campus. I’ m sure the returning officers will prepare their revisers for Friday in light of what happened, and they will be ready to face the music.