Awful voting experience at advance poll still a privilege
For the 16th time in my life, I have cast a vote in a Canadian federal election. For the 15th time, I did it at an advance poll, knowing I would be working a long day and night as a journalist on election day.
This year’s experience was by far the worst I ever had. The polling station was further from my home than ever before. It was a 30-minute walk instead of the usual five. I waited in line for about 25 minutes to cast my ballot, though I have never waited more than seven or eight minutes in the past.
But these are trifling complaints. COVID-19 forced Elections Canada to look for bigger spaces for polling places to allow for distancing, and there just aren’t that many big spaces. It also had trouble hiring people to work at the polls.
Perfectly understandable. The big issue was the guy standing behind me and my wife. A guy in his seventies, I’d say, who wasn’t wearing a mask. When another voter asked him to put one on, he started taunting everyone around him. “You’re afraid of me? — Boo.”
Like good Canadians, everyone just backed off, gave him extra space, and the poll workers explained quietly that they couldn’t stop a mask-refuser from voting.
The couple in front of us was very skittish. When they finished voting, the husband took out his smartphone and started taking pictures of Mr. No-Mask. That lit the fuse.
“Arrest that man,” the anti-vaxxer started shouting. “Call the police. He can’t take pictures in here. I want him arrested.”
It is true that you cannot take pictures in a polling place. There were signs posted making that clear. The election officials moved to the husband and started talking to him.
Meanwhile the yelling tirade continued. “He wants to post those pictures somewhere and put a target on my back. I rely on my natural vigour to protect me. He wants to make me public enemy No. 1.”
There is a limit even to my tolerance. I turned to the man. “You are public enemy No. 1, but just calm down. They’re taking care of it. Just stop shouting and stand there.”
It took a few more seconds, but order was restored. I voted, and Mr. Natural Vigour moved forward. I turned to walk to the exit, and another guy started yelling about how long it was taking to vote. Get a grip. He had obviously never watched a newscast showing people in other countries walking 30 kilometres to a poll and waiting in the baking sun for 10 hours to vote — happily.
Democracy is messy. But I wouldn’t trade my worst voting experience for any alternative. The nutbars in our midst are not going away. But they will never stop me from voting. And I would urge you not to let them stop you.