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In-person voting
In-person voting is the traditional voting method - and the most familiar method for casting ballots in an election. During advanced voting periods or on election day, voters visit a polling station, where they physically complete a paper ballot, which is then processed through a vote tabulator and immediately placed in a sealed ballot box.
Some considerations:
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Familiarity - It's a long-standing method
- Election officials are present to provide assistance and guidance to voters on how to correctly complete and submit a ballot, and make any additions or corrections to the Voters’ List
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Physical presence of a ballot and a ballot box may inspire confidence for some voters
- Polling station staff can directly verify voters' identities
- In-person voting may present physical barriers for some voters or to those unable to visit polling stations due to illness or mobility issues
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Wait times may deter voters from participating in the election
- In-person voting is limited to specific hours when the polling stations are open
- In-person voting has costs associated with purchasing physical ballots, polling station setup, and staffing
Vote by mail
Vote by mail enables voters to cast their ballots from any location that has postal service. Paper ballots are mailed to voters, who complete the ballots and mail them back to the municipality.
Some considerations:
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No need to be physically present at a polling station, which may make the process more accessible for some people
- Eliminates the need for travel and wait times
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Convenience of voting by mail may make it easier for residents to participate in the process
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Reduces or eliminates costs associated with polling stations and labour costs
- Voting takes place in an uncontrolled environment, which makes it challenging to confirm the voter's identity
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Relies on postal service, which requires planning for the time required to mail ballots to voters and for voters to mail completed ballots back to the municipality
- Risk that ballots may be damaged or lost in transit
Online voting
Online voting enables voters to cast their ballots through the internet by logging into a secured site where the electronic ballot can be submitted during the designated voting period.
Some considerations:
- Can vote anywhere with internet access and a device that can access the voting site and at any time during the designated voting period, making it extremely convenient to cast a ballot
- Reduces or eliminates the need for paper ballots, which reduces costs associated with physical polling stations and increases the speed of vote tabulation for election results
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Greater accessibility by enhancing autonomy for electors with disabilities, allowing many individuals to vote unassisted
- Eliminates travel and wait times
- Voting system requires security and redundancies to avoid potential breaches and system failures
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Requires access to the internet to cast a ballot
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Education and promotion on how to use the system
- Use of methods to confirm voter identity before providing passwords necessary for casting a vote
Vote by phone
For vote by phone, voters use a touchtone phone to call a toll-free number provided on their voter notification card to cast their ballots. Voters input their unique voter identification number listed on their voter identification card and are asked to answer a security question to verify their identity. Once the voter credentials are validated, the voter is presented with an audio version of the ballot to make their selection.
Some considerations:
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Enhanced accessibility for people with mobility challenges, visual impairments, or other disabilities that may make in-person voting difficult
- Voters can cast their ballots from anywhere, reducing the need for travel and wait times at polling stations
- May encourage voter turnout by making voting more convenient compared to in-person voting
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Reduces costs associated with staffing, physical polling stations, and printed ballots
- Use of methods to confirm voter identity before permitting voter to cast their ballot
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Verifying phone votes may be more complex
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Ensuring security and integrity of the voting system
