Site MenuAdministrative Review of Procedures for the Tracking and Handling of Shipments Containing Special Ballots at Elections Canada's Distribution Centre in Ottawa
5. Issuance of Special Ballots from the Distribution Centre
This section covers the issuance of special ballots at the distribution centre. The procedures are straightforward, although they vary according to the type of elector. Overall, it was reported that the shipment of SVR material worked well during the 42nd general election. The information for the issuance of special ballots is summarized in the table below. The summary is based on established procedures.
| Type of electors | Assembly of packages | Method of shipment | Receipt of material | Tracking to destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAF electors | MVC staff | In Canada: regular mail (mailroom). Outside of Canada: courier or diplomatic bags. Difficult to reach locations: military carriers | The Commanding Officer/deputy returning officer designated for each CAF unit | The chief clerk within MVC team uses a tracking sheet* to monitor shipments sent by courier and with military carriers. |
| Incarcerated electors | AVM team responsible for incarcerated electors | Courier (Canada Post and Purolator) (mailroom) | The liaison officers in each correctional facility | AVM team monitors shipments using tracking information provided by the mailroom and the courier's proprietary tracking systems.* |
| International electors | AVM team responsible for international electors | Regular mail (mailroom), courier and diplomatic bags | Electors; embassies and consulates (missions) | None |
| National electors | For registration with Elections Canada (not with a returning officer): AVM team responsible for national electors | Regular mail (mailroom) (could also be sent by courier) |
Electors | None |
* The tracking sheets used by the various teams were not available for review.