From: doug.bryce{at}sympatico.ca (Doug Bryce)

Thanks for the correction John.   I have only ever exercised that
option once, and I couldn't remember at what level it exists. (personally I
think it should be at both levels having the same treatment as at the
provincial level).

Doug

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 21:43:37 -0400, "John Beamish"  wrote:

>Technically inaccurate.  But note, only "technically" because the rules
>differ between federal, provincial and, on those rare occasions, referenda.
>
>In federal elections you show up, you get marked on the voters list as
>having shown up, you get your ballot.  At that point, you can go behind the
>screen, mark/notmark the ballot, refold it, and return.  Or you can simply
>bypass that portion and not make the trip to the voting screen.
>
>In either case, you then give the ballot paper to the DRO who tears off the
>counterfoil and then hands the ballot back to you and you deposit it into
>the ballot box.
>
>In other words, no matter what you choose, your ballot paper goes into the
>ballot box.  During counting, an unmarked (or incorrectly marked) ballot is
>treated as a "rejected  ballot".
>
>There is also a "spoiled ballot".  A spoiled ballot is one
which has been
>incorrectly printed ("smudged" is the standard example) or
one which the
>voter marks incorrectly and identifies it as such before it gets deposited
>into the ballot box.  A spoiled ballot never enters the ballot box but is
>placed, instead, into a special envelope and you are given a replacement
>ballot paper.  You'd better do it right this time:  you only get one
>replacement ballot paper.
>
>In Ontario provincial elections you show up, you get marked on the voters
>list as having shown up, you decline the ballot and it goes (I believe) into
>a special envelope but does not go into the ballot box.
>
>Clear as mud, eh!
>
>"Doug Bryce"  wrote in message
>news:412fad6c.7428299{at}news.barkto.com...
>> On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 15:15:28 -0400, "Rich Gauszka"
>>  wrote:
>>
>>
>> Silly question......by 'abstain' do you mean that you just won't
>> bother to vote, or is that something you can do at the polling station
>> to reflect your displeasure with the choice of candidate?
>>
>> Up here in Canada (ceratinly in Ontario, at least) we have an option
>> called 'decline the ballot'.   You go to the polling station, accept
>> your ballot - we still use paper, btw - then 'decline' it.  Your
>> ballot then has to be recorded in that specific category.  It at least
>> shows that you cared enough to go out and perform that action rather
>> than just staying home.
>>
>> doug
>>
>
>

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