Québec City, February 26, 2007 – The Chief Electoral Officer would like to inform the public that in view of the general elections scheduled on March 26, 2007, special measures have been put in place to facilitate your voting right.

IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO VOTE AT HOME….

Does your health hinder you from leaving your home to vote? In that case, we will come to your home. However, to vote at home, you have to apply to your returning officer in writing. Consult our Web site or contact our Information Centre for all terms and information on this new method of voting and to know the deadline to register.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO MOVE ABOUT…..

Are you living in an establishment registered with the Ministry of Health and Social Services and are you unable to move about? The Chief Electoral Officer offers you the possibility of registering on the list of electors, of making changes to your entry and of voting without having to move about. Simply make the request by telephone or in writing to your returning officer.  The returning officer will inform you of the day and the time when the election staff will visit you. Have any questions? You can consult our folder If you are unable to move about or contact the office of your returning officer.

IF YOU EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES…..

Polling station personnel will be available to assist you if you have special needs. For example, it will be possible to obtain assistance in marking your ballot paper.  People with a visual handicap will be able to vote alone using a template by following the explanations of the deputy returning officer.

AN INTERPRETATION SERVICE

To promote the exercise of voting rights by the deaf, the deafened, the hard of hearing and the deaf-mute, the Chief Electoral Officer will pay costs related to visual and tactile interpretation services to facilitate entry on the list of electors and voting. It is worth noting that these services are offered based on the policies and availabilities of organizations that offer interpretation services.  Electors have to check this information in advance with the organization that serves their territory.

ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PREMISES

All offices of returning officers, revision offices and advance polling stations are accessible to persons who have difficulty moving about.  On polling day, polling stations should be easily accessible but it is possible that some of them aren’t. As a result, people with difficulty moving about should check in advance with their returning officer or by calling us.

POSTERS WITH CANDIDATES' PHOTOGRAPHS

Following the request of organizations that are involved with literacy, posters with candidates' photographs will be produced and placed in voting places so that people with reading difficulties can exercise their voting rights more easily.

ACCESSIBILITY TO INFORMATION

To foster access to information, it is worth mentioning that steps have been taken to meet the needs of native peoples, cultural communities, illiterate or handicapped persons. 

- Information will be broadcast in specialized media that reach these various groups.

- Televised advertising messages will be sub-titled for the deaf and hard of hearing.

- The Voter's Manual is available on the Web site in various languages for native and cultural communities. 

- The Voter's Manual is available in various formats: large print, Brail, audio, format and video format in Langue des signes québécoise (LQS) and American Sign Language (ASL) for the deaf.

- There is also a Voting in Québec folder and poster for people who have difficulty reading. With the help of pictures, these documents describe the election process and the conditions required to exercise your voting right.

TO RECEIVE THESE DOCUMENTS AND FOR MORE INFORMATION

Electors and organizations that work with people with special needs are invited to contact the Information Centre of the Chief Electoral Officer to obtain any document or information they may need.  Simply call, toll free: 1-888-ELECTION or 1-888-353-2846.  The deaf or hard of hearing can call, toll free: TDD 1-800-537-0644. Electors can also consult our Web site (www.electionsquebec.qc.ca) for detailed information on each electoral division and to order documents free of charge using our special purchase order.