Press Releases and Media Advisories

ELECTIONS CANADA ISSUES WRIT OF BY-ELECTION IN LABRADOR

OTTAWA, Sunday, April 17, 2005 — The writ of by-election was issued on April 17, 2005, for a federal by-election to be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2005, in the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Labrador to fill a vacancy in the House of Commons.

Under subsection 57(3) of the Canada Elections Act, federal elections are always held on a Monday, unless the Monday of that week is a holiday. In such cases, subsection 57(4) of the Act directs that election day will be the Tuesday of that week. Since Monday, May 23, 2005, is a holiday, election day for the by-election in Labrador will be on Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

The returning officer for the riding will mail a voter information card to all registered electors in the riding no later than Friday, April 29, 2005. An elector who does not receive a voter information card is not registered to vote, and may register in person at the office of the 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-election of May 24, 2005, an elector’s address of ordinary residence must be in that electoral district from Wednesday, April 20, 2005, to Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

Elections Canada reminds electors who cannot or do not wish to vote in Labrador on election day, Tuesday, May 24, 2005, or during the advance polls on Friday, May 13, Saturday, May 14, and Monday, May 16, 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. People who are in the electoral district may obtain the application form to vote by special ballot from the office of the returning officer or from the Elections Canada Web site. Electors whose address of ordinary residence is in this electoral district, but who are away during the by-election, may contact Elections Canada at www.elections.ca or by telephone at 1 800 463-6868 to apply for a special ballot.

Applications to vote by special ballot from electors who are temporarily outside the electoral district during the by-election must be received by Elections Canada in Ottawa at the very latest by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Tuesday, May 17, 2005. Registrations will be processed promptly, but electors must allow enough time for a special ballot voting kit to reach them, and for the ballot to travel back to Ottawa.

Electors wishing to vote by special ballot inside the electoral district must make sure their applications reach the returning officer by 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, 2005.

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 district of Labrador must return their completed ballots to the office of the returning officer before the polls close on election day, Tuesday, May 24, 2005, for them to be counted.

Electors voting by special ballot from outside the electoral district must ensure that their completed ballots are received by the Special Voting Rules Administrator, whose address in Ottawa is provided in the special ballot voting kit, no later than 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 24, 2005, for them to be counted.

“Voting is a fundamental right in Canada and I urge all qualified electors resident in the riding of Labrador to take advantage of the many options available to them for casting their ballots in this by-election,” said Mr. Kingsley.

Following are the results for the riding of Labrador at the general election of June 28, 2004, by candidate and political affiliation.

Electoral District of Labrador

A by-election will be held in Labrador on Tuesday, May 24, 2005.

Elections Canada is an independent body set up by Parliament.

Information:
Elections Canada Media Relations
1 877 877-9515
or at www.elections.ca