Elections Canada mistake leaves B.C. resident skeptical

A Cortes Island resident says he's skepticalofthe electoral process after a voting card mix-up indicated he would need a private boat to get to his polling station.

Scott Onstottsaid the voter information card he received in the mail pointed him to nearby Refuge Cove on voting day, onan island with no public ferry service a difficult proposition for a man who doesn't own a boat.

"I was kind of dumb-founded because I've voted onCortesIsland before," said Onstott.

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The card also said the polling station is wheelchair-accessible. In fact, voters would need to be able toget out of their boats and onto a dock.

Adding to the confusion is the fact thatOnstottsaid he hasn't changed addresses since he last voted.

He said he phoned the Elections Canada numberon the back of the card, and theytold him if he couldn't make it to Refuge Coveon election day, he could go to Bella Bellainstead a remote town 300 kilometres away on B.C.'s northern coast.

However, he said when he tried a different number, anElections Canada staffer told himthere was a mistake on the card, and they would soon be reissued.

One of many mix-ups

Elections Canada has acknowledged there was a problem with the cards.

"Some of the (voter informationcards) that were issued are incorrect, and they will be rectified," said Debbie Fraser with Elections Canada.

"They should receive new cards in the next few days."

Fraseradded that voters on CortesIslandcan cast advance ballots in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, if they so choose.

But Onstott said the mistake has cost himhis confidence in the electoral body.

"It makes me a little skeptical to even trust what they say now," he said.

"That's why I'm kind of thinking I'll go toCampbellRiver andtake two ferries to votebecause this is important."

Onstott said he's concerned that his fellow Cortes Island residents may not have picked up on the mistake.

"There's a lot of confusion. A lot of people, myself included, didn't even look at the card," he said. "I just assumed it would be correct."

The mistake is one of many mix-ups Elections Canada has had to deal with in the past few weeks.

Voters in Saskatchewan, Yukon and Quebec have also received voting cards with incorrect information.