Press Releases and Media Advisories

Elections Canada Issues Writs of By-election in
Repentigny and London North Centre

OTTAWA, Sunday, October 22, 2006 — The writs of by-election were issued on Sunday, October 22, 2006, for federal by-elections to be held on Monday, November 27, 2006, in the ridings of Repentigny (Quebec) and London North Centre (Ontario) to fill vacancies in the House of Commons.

The returning officers will mail a voter information card to all registered electors in the two ridings no later than Friday, November 3, 2006. 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-elections of November 27, 2006, an elector's address of ordinary residence must be in the electoral district from Wednesday, October 25, 2006, to Monday, November 27, 2006.

Elections Canada reminds electors who cannot or do not wish to vote in their electoral districts on election day, Monday, November 27, 2006, or during the advance polls on Friday, November 17, Saturday, November 18 and Monday, November 20, 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 their electoral districts 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 one of these electoral districts, but who are away during the by-elections, 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 outside the electoral districts during the by-elections must be received by Elections Canada in Ottawa at the very latest by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Tuesday, November 21, 2006. 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 be returned to Ottawa.

Electors wishing to vote by special ballot inside the electoral districts must make sure their applications reach the returning officer by 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21, 2006.

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 districts of Repentigny and London North Centre must return their completed ballots to the office of their respective returning officer no later than 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time on election day, Monday, November 27, 2006, 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 Monday, November 27, 2006, for them to be counted.

"Voting is a fundamental right in Canada and I urge all qualified electors resident in Repentigny and London North Centre to take advantage of the many options available to them for casting their ballots in these by-elections," said Mr. Kingsley.

Following are the results for the ridings of Repentigny and London North Centre at the general election of January 23, 2006, by candidate and political affiliation.

By-elections will be held in Repentigny and London North Centre on Monday, November 27, 2006.

Elections Canada is an independent body set up by Parliament.

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