Brandon Harder
Regina Leader-Post
More than 100 people got together in a Regina independent living seniors complex this week to acknowledge the value of time.
They celebrated the residents of Broadway Terrace who have birthdays in October. But over cake and coffee on Wednesday, some raised concerns about how residents will participate in another important event this month — the provincial election.
Gail Beesley has lived at the building for around 10 years. To her recollection, there’s been a voting station in the building for every municipal, provincial and federal election since she moved in.
However, Beesley said that she and other residents learned in late September that there wouldn’t be a voting station in the building for the election this month.
“Some are in wheelchairs, some use walkers,” Beesley said in an interview Thursday, also noting some in the complex don’t get out at all.
“Myself, it’s two long blocks to where the poll is going to be, and I will have to go by car because I can’t walk that far either, because of a heart condition.”
Forms for mail-in ballots have been made available through the building, but some residents will need help filling them out, Beesley added. Others may try to catch a ride after hearing word that a political candidate offered for cars to be arranged.
“Some people will have family that may take them. Some people just won’t vote.”
“I’ll find a way,” Beesley said, noting she does drive a little still and reckons she could try to drive a few people to vote if need be.
But she wonders why things have changed.
There will be about 880 voting locations this year, as opposed to 1,075 in 2016, according to information provided by Elections Saskatchewan. In 2020 there were about 1660 — a drastic expansion due to COVID-19.
Speaking Thursday, chief electoral officer Michael Boda was emphatic that Elections Saskatchewan has sought to improve access for all voters this year, including through the move to a “voting week,” where polls will be open Oct. 22 to 26, and again on Oct. 28, which is the last day of voting. There is no voting on Oct. 27.
He spoke about work done on providing mail-in voting access and efforts to study where in-person stations make the most sense, noting some previous stations had seen low turnout.
Boda said Elections Saskatchewan had compiled a list of facilities where seniors are living and had reached out to them, some of which requested additional help to “facilitate things.”
Broadway Terrace was “missed” when the list was compiled, he said, but now efforts are being made to connect with the home and address their concerns.
“We will send people from the returning office to help fill out those forms and go from there.”
With regard to providing notice to voters about polling stations not being in places where they’ve been in the past, he said: “Polling locations are never determined in advance of the writ dropping.”
“Where people live independently, there’s not been a certainty that you’re going to have a poll there,” he continued.
However, he noted that specifically for seniors, all those living in registered personal care facilities will be able to vote in their facilities. For those in independent living situations, he noted that if they are physically unable to get to a voting station, they can call Elections Saskatchewan and provisions will be made for them to vote from home. No doctor’s note will be required, he said.
He also said that if those in independent living facilities want additional help with making mail-in voting arrangements, Elections Saskatchewan will provide it.
“We want people to vote. We want our seniors to vote,” he said, encouraging anyone with concerns to reach out.
“We will react very quickly when someone says, ‘I have a need.’ ”
Elections Saskatchewan can be reached at 306-787-4000, toll free at 1-877-958-8683 or online at www.elections.sk.ca. A list of polling stations for the upcoming general election can be found here.
bharder@postmedia.com
