Voting by Special Ballot for Canadian Forces Electors
During federal elections and referendums, Canadian Forces electors can vote, by mail or at polling stations set up in their units, using a special ballot. This method of voting is governed by the Special Voting Rules, Part 11 of the Canada Elections Act. Canadian Forces electors who are residing in the electoral district of the address shown on their Statement of Ordinary Residence at the time of a general election may also vote at a civilian polling station in that electoral district, provided they have not already voted by special ballot.
Canadian Forces electors are Canadians who have reached the age of 18 and are members of the Canadian Forces or teachers or administrative support staff in Canadian Forces schools outside Canada.
People living with members of the Canadian Forces outside the country are not considered to be Canadian Forces electors, but may vote as Canadians residing outside Canada (see Backgrounder EC 90540, Voting by Special Ballot).
Registration
The Department of National Defence keeps a permanent register of Canadian Forces electors. When they enroll, each CF member completes a Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR) that determines the electoral district for which his or her vote will be counted.
Manner of voting
Canadian Forces electors vote by special ballot. During a general election or referendum, instructions for voting are posted at the polling station in each unit and a deputy returning officer is on hand to issue voting materials. Each polling station has a complete list of candidates. During by-elections, Elections Canada sends a personalized voting kit to every elector whose address on the Statement of Ordinary Residence is located in a riding where a by-election is being held.
To vote, the elector must first complete and sign the declaration on the outer envelope that forms part of the voting kit. The declaration states that his or her name is as shown on the envelope and that he or she has not already voted in the election or referendum underway. The elector then completes the ballot by writing on it the name of one of the candidates in his or her riding – or, in the case of a referendum, by checking either “yes” or “no” – and then inserting the ballot in the series of envelopes in accordance with the instructions provided.
Finally, the elector is responsible for ensuring that Elections Canada in Ottawa receives the ballot no later than 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on polling day. Electors may mail their ballots themselves or, in most cases, during a general election or referendum, leave them with the deputy returning officer to forward by special arrangement. The ballot must be sent in the envelopes provided. A ballot received by any other means, including fax, will not be counted. The Act also prohibits counting ballots received after the deadline.
Counting the votes
The ballots of Canadian Forces electors are counted at the same time as those of Canadian residents absent from their ridings, electors residing outside Canada and incarcerated electors, provided they have been received at Elections Canada in Ottawa before 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on polling day. The procedure is described below.
This part (52), Mr. Sophan Seng elaborated on The CEROC or Committee for Elections Rights of Overseas Cambodians. This diasporic volunteering leadership has mainly focused on two goals:
1. Collecting all suggestions, petitions, and participation of the Khmers overseas in order to campaign for inclusive participate in Cambodia elections. This participation shall enrich the Cambodia political leadership and participatory democracy of this nation.
2. Focusing on researches and publications of some technical, mechanism and procedural practices from many countries who have included their citizens abroad to vote at their home-country elections.
By incorporating with many stakeholders, the CEROC is being recognized by Khmers diaspora, migrant workers, students, and government officials working abroad, widely.
លទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យសម្រាប់ប្រជាជាតិយើង តម្រូវឲ្យដាក់បញ្ចូលជនជាតិខ្មែរនៅឯនាយសមុទ្រផងដែរ / Democracy for our nation must be inclusive of overseas Cambodians (*)
On February 19, 2016, Mr. Sophan Seng, leader of the CEROC, was honored to meeting H.E.Kuoy Bunroeun, Deputy of NEC at the head office to discuss the right to vote of Cambodians overseas.
The meeting was anticipated by two permanent members and two deputy secretaries of the current NEC. The discussion is summarized following:
Mr. Sophan Seng highly valued the new NEC that is better and more independent than before including the high expectation of its performance for this upcoming commune election 2017 and national election 2018. Precisely, he addressed the need to allow and facilitate access for Cambodians overseas to vote in Cambodia elections (inclusiveness). The CEROC’s objectives are: – to organize suggestions, petitions, and participation of all Cambodians overseas, and – to produce paper work on mechanism, technical and comparative studies through researches and academic gatherings.
Solution: H.E. Kuoy Bunroeun welcomed the tasks of research and recommended to submit petition through a right channel. NEC is implementing in accordance to the existing laws solely.
2. In the future, the NEC shall prepare high ranking officer(s) to visit Khmers diaspora to interact with them about the progress of the NEC.
3. H.E. Kuoy Bunroeun debriefed the advantage and disadvantage points of the new NEC following:
Advantage Points:
Institutionalized into Cambodia Constitution
Procedures, mechanism, and implementation of the NEC
Election laws: new voter registration using fingerprint, photos and computer database etc.
Able to make all decision makings
Disadvantage points:
Population database and identity matching are under limit
Ability of NEC’s staffs especially in each voting booth (PSO) is under limit
Infrastructure such as electricity is very limited
During federal elections and referendums, Canadian Forces electors can vote, by mail or at polling stations set up in their units, using a special ballot. This method of voting is governed by the Special Voting Rules, Part 11 of the Canada Elections Act. Canadian Forces electors who are residing in the electoral district of the address shown on their Statement of Ordinary Residence at the time of a general election may also vote at a civilian polling station in that electoral district, provided they have not already voted by special ballot.
