Hey crazyheart, a good rant now and again is in order!

I know in the recent Manitoba election those that had to show ID (as far as I know those who were not previously ennumerated) used Manitoba Health Medical Cards (I believe ours have addresses but yours do not), as well as Manitoba Hydro electrical bills).

My daughter was not ennumerated or on the votes list so she had to present her cards.  Mr. & I didn't have to show anything.

Hey crazyheart, a good rant now and again is in order!

I know in the recent Manitoba election those that had to show ID (as far as I know those who were not previously ennumerated) used Manitoba Health Medical Cards (I believe ours have addresses but yours do not), as well as Manitoba Hydro electrical bills).

My daughter was not ennumerated or on the votes list so she had to present her cards.  Mr. & I didn't have to show anything.

Crazyheart, I am sorry to hear about this. I am also somewhat surprised. I have worked on several election days in BC, and the voters cards here are very clear about what is needed. Here you either need a driver's license or BCID card (government issued ID card with your photo, signature and address on it) or some combination of ID containing your name, photo and signature. It then goes on to list suggestions of ID bring. One of the things they will allow here is registered mail - for example a bank or credit card statement (they just want to see the envelope). Perhaps you could go back with one of those in hand?

Secondly, I'm also surprised that it wasn't enough for Crazydad to vouch for you. All that involves is him signing a form that basically states that he solemnly swears that you are legally entitled to vote in this election.

I hope you can get this sorted out!

I thought that SGI, the Sask. government ID, was an ID? I thought it was a photo ID? I also thought it had an address on it. But I guess if it does not have an address, it can't really establish residency.

So, I looked it up. The images I see have an address. But, to get one it says two pieces of ID are required to get a photo ID card. Both pieces of ID must establish your legal name, signature and birth date. None of that establishes residency or had address tied to it.

So, they sell government ID's that are basically worthless for establishing certain types of ID (residence)? Will it work as sole ID for establishing name and date of birth? If not it is just a governemtn cash grab.

I do not get why this type of ID does not request an address verification or why the address is not on the ID.

Rant and rave, not only to pollers (who have to establish residency for voting laws) but to the government and the licensing folks who sold it to you as an ID when it cannot be used as such. I mean, it irks me that this is not acceptable, but a bank statement or a telephone bill is.

Find out if you can get one with an address on it, because the images I see have addresses on them.

hey, rant away... i have worked with both elections canada and elections manitoba, and the rules on what you need to vote change dramatically for both.

Back home (very small town), my parents went to vote where they've lived for sixty plus years but still had problems.  The people running the poll knew them both and have been to their home / church / work etc. but wouldn't let them vote unless they showed ID.  WHY?

I know that people have had problems with elections in the past because the people running the booths weren't aware of all the forms of ID that could be used.  That's some of the problem with using volunteers I guess.  I agree, it can be very frustrating! Hopefully enough people who have this problem will complain so that the problem is fixed for the next time around.

Chemgal - when I worked at the polling stations (both federal and provincial elections), we had a four hour mandatory training session prior to the day. We were volunteers in the sense that we offered to do the job, but we were also paid for our efforts. The job I took on each time was that of Registrations Officer - registering people who, for whatever reason, were not on the voter's list (this was on the day of the election).

I didn't know they were paid!  Four hours seems like it should be enough time to cover everything.  Do you know if the same training is done everywhere for the federal election?

I believe the training is essentially the same everywhere. It basically involved watching a video, going through the forms we would be filling out and having some discussions led by the instructor. We were also given our kits at that time, which included an information book reminding us of our responsibilities and informing us about other people's roles. The kit also had all the things we would be needing on the day of the election.

I actually found it to be quite a fun little job - I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a little extra money. You meet some really interesting people. You never know who you are going to meet - one time a whole group of fireman drove their fire truck truck to the polling station so that they could vote. A friend of mine told me that at her station one year she got to meet Silken Lauman.

Crazyheart - this sounds like a badly planned election process.  If you needed proof of address why the bleep didn't they tell you that on your voter card?  I guess that has an easy answer - because it was planned and executed by ordinary people with government jobs.  I am constantly amazed (and disgusted) by government goof ups like this one. 

I guess that is one of the things that happens in this laid-back way of voting that we have here in Canada with ordinary people staffing the elections places & ordinary elections places (cardboard, folding tables, gymnasiums, pencils & pens, by eye identification, paper records, etc etc etc).

The ID requirements are absurd - they emphasize residency as opposed to citizenship, which is bizarre, and the criteria for the first are over-the-top while there is no requirement to provide evidence of one's citizenship, which is the first criterion for eligibility for voting. Yes, one signs that one is eligible however, one could also sign to establish residency as well. 

All of this is based on the model of disenfranchising the more marginalized in society since they tend to be those who lack the ID requirements because of lack of documentary evidence or lack of stable housing. Coincidentally, those who are disenfranchised tend also to be those who might vote for people or parties who would support a more socially progressive platform. 

I have never been asked at a polling station  to prove that I was a Canadian citizen.  I suspect that I voted illegally before finding out how to get a certain 'piece of paper' !