Press Releases

ELECTIONS CANADA ISSUES WRITS OF BY-ELECTION IN
TÉMISCAMINGUE AND LÉVIS-ET-CHUTES-DE-LA-CHAUDIÈRE

(OTTAWA, Sunday, May 11, 2003) — The writs of by-election were issued on May 11, 2003, for federal by-elections to be held on Monday, June 16, 2003, in the Quebec ridings of Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière to fill vacancies in the House of Commons created by the resignation of sitting members of Parliament.

"Because we now prepare lists of electors from the names in the National Register of Electors," said Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, "most electors in the ridings are already registered to vote."

The returning officers will mail a voter information card to all registered electors in the two ridings no later than Friday, May 23, 2003. An elector who does not receive a voter information card is not registered to vote, and may register in person at the office of his or her returning officer, or request an application for registration by telephone, by mail or by fax. Any elector who needs to change the information on his or her voter information card should also contact the office of the returning officer.

To have the right to vote in a by-election, an individual must be a Canadian citizen who has reached the age of 18 by election day. He or she must be resident in the electoral district from the first day of revision of the lists of electors until election day. For the by-elections of June 16, 2003, an elector’s address of ordinary residence must be in the electoral district from Wednesday, May 14, 2003, to Monday, June 16, 2003.

Elections Canada reminds electors who cannot or do not wish to vote in their electoral districts on election day, Monday, June 16, 2003, or during the advance polls on Friday, June 6, Saturday, June 7 and Monday, June 9, that they may request an application to vote by special ballot – a ballot that can be sent in by mail, or filled in at the office of the returning officer. Those who are in their electoral districts may request special ballot applications from the office of their returning officer. Electors outside their electoral districts may contact Elections Canada at www.elections.ca or by telephone at 1 800 463-6868. Applications to vote by special ballot in the by-elections in Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière must be received by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on Tuesday, June 10, 2003. Once an application to vote by special ballot has been accepted, an elector may vote only by that means.

Electors voting by special ballot within the electoral districts of Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière must return their completed ballots to the office of the returning officer no later than 8:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, June 16, 2003, for them to be counted.

Electors voting by special ballot from outside their electoral districts must return their completed ballots to the office of the Special Voting Rules Administrator, whose address in Ottawa is provided in the special ballot kit, no later than 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, June 16, 2003, for them to be counted.

"Voting is a fundamental right in Canada and I urge all qualified electors resident in Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière to take advantage of the many options available to them for casting their ballots in these by-elections," said Mr. Kingsley.

Following are the results for the ridings of Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière at the general election of November 27, 2000, by candidate and political affiliation.

Electoral District of Témiscamingue

Electoral District of Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière

By-elections will be held in Témiscamingue and Lévis-et-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière on Monday, June 16, 2003.

Elections Canada is the non-partisan agency responsible for the conduct of federal elections and referendums.

Contact Elections Canada Media Relations by phone at 1 800 267-7360 or (613) 993-2224, or at www.elections.ca.