OTTAWA — Grits Abroad, an organization representing Canadian Liberal voters living overseas, is calling for the urgent removal of systemic barriers that prevent millions of citizens from participating in the democratic process. Timothy Viel, Director of Grits Abroad, highlighted that while approximately five million Canadians live outside the country—with 3.5 million eligible to vote—the actual voter turnout remains disproportionately low, a factor he warns could sway election outcomes.
The organization points to several logistical hurdles that discourage the diaspora from casting their ballots. Currently, international voters must rely solely on mail-in ballots, which are often hampered by tight deadlines and unreliable international postal services. Many voters report anxiety over whether their ballots will reach Elections Canada in time to be counted. Daniel Skook, a member of Grits Abroad, urged political parties to stop overlooking the expat community and suggested implementing more accessible options, such as in-person voting at embassies and consulates or exploring secure online voting systems.
Data from the last federal election underscores these concerns. According to Elections Canada, while 101,690 voting kits were dispatched to citizens abroad, only 57,440 were received back by the deadline. Approximately 20,000 kits arrived too late to be tabulated, effectively disenfranchising thousands of voters due to mail delays.
In response to these challenges, Elections Canada spokesperson Matthew McKenna stated that the agency is rampaging up social media awareness campaigns to streamline the process. McKenna reminded citizens living abroad that they can register on the International Register of Electors at any time. Once an election or by-election is officially called, ballots are automatically mailed to those registered, and the agency is working to ensure voters understand the timelines required to guarantee their voices are heard.
