Uncounted vote

Re. Liberals take Quebec riding (Castanet,May 10)

We learned the Liberal candidate who won by one vote (in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne) may have had some other votes not counted.

As reported, Elections Canada says it is investigating after a voter in the Quebec riding came forward with an envelope that was returned to sender. Inside was a vote for the Bloc Québécois in the Terrebonne riding, where, as it stands, incoming Liberal MP Tatiana Auguste was declared the winner by one vote after several recounts.

Elections Canada said the return address printed on this elector's return envelope was incorrect —specifically, part of the postal code.

The problem was Elections Canada was the one that supplied the incorrect address sticker, not the voter

After I retired in 2006, I decided to volunteer as a deputy returning officer for the provincial election. After a few hours of training, I was certified.

A deputy returning officer has responsibility for a specific polling station and ballot box. DROs issue ballots and conduct the initial count for their assigned polling station.

I found it very interesting and would like to report that, on my watch, there were no spoiled ballets. Every ballet was marked correctly with a “X” indicating the (voter’s) choice.

After closing, we opened each (ballot) box and sorted out the ballets. What we did was put each ballot in a pile according to their vote. In very short order, we determined one candidate clearly was the winner but that did not stop us from counting every vote.

We were watched by several members of political parties who acknowledged our count was correct. To me, that was the best confidence our system of voting was absolutely correct.

To me, saying because the Elections Canada sticker regarding the postal code was incorrect was the reason the mail-in vote was not counted is not only absurd but beyond comprehension.

Robert Hepting, Kelowna