Election law dictates advance polls, which fall on Easter weekend

While this weekend is a holiday long weekend, the federal election will not be taking time off.

Elections Canada says advanced polls will be open on Friday until Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The polls are open even though Good Friday is a statutory holiday, while Easter Sunday and Monday are not. While many businesses are closed on Friday, most government offices and banks are closed on Monday and Canada Post doesn’t deliver.

Some have questioned why advanced polls will be open on some of the holiest days on the Christian calendar.

Tory MP Leslyn Lewis, a former Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidate, took to social media on Wednesday: “It’s deeply concerning that while families are gathering, and Christians are celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, that the Liberals have chosen Easter weekend for advance polls.”

But Marie-France Kenny, a regional spokesperson for Elections Canada, said politicians have no control over when advance polls are scheduled once an election day has been chosen.

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“The (Canada Elections) Act — and nothing else — dictates the decision,” Kenny said.

“Advance polls need to be held on days seven, eight, nine and 10 of the election calendar. The election calendar starts when the writ is dropped — day 36 in this case — and ends on election day — day zero in this case. Since election day is always a Monday, day seven, eight, nine and 10 of the electoral calendar, that usually falls on a weekend.

“As this is mandated by law, it is automatic.”

Kenny said this is not the first election in which advanced polls open on a long weekend, noting that during the federal election in 2019, the advance poll fell on the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Besides the advance poll, people can still vote on Tuesday, April 22, until 6 p.m., at any Elections Canada office or at their assigned polling station on election day, April 28.

Kevin Rollason
Reporter

Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.

Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.