Voting day is April 12. While some Yukoners have already made their choice on special ballots or at advance polls, everyone else will need to head to a polling station on Monday to cast a vote in their riding.
If you missed out on advance polls and special ballots, then your chance to vote is on polling day on Monday, April 12. Different stations are set up according to what riding you live in.
If you are unsure of what riding you are in and where to vote, that information was included in the mailout to your house. If not, voters can enter their address at electionsyukon.ca and find out where their polling station is.
Polls will open at 8 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. Following the closure of polls, Elections Yukon will begin counting ballots and releasing results.
Chief Electoral Officer Max Harvey said everyone who is in line at polling stations by 8 p.m. will still be able to vote. When all electors have left, the deputy returning officer and a poll clerk can begin to oversee the ballot counting process, including special ballots and advance polls.
“It’s all very fair. It’s with witnesses and it’s checked and double-checked,” Harvey said.
Harvey said voting on polling day is most common among Yukoners.
Advance polls were held April 4 and 5 at 23 locations. The total turnout was 4,350 voters. The turnout was less than 2016, when 5,282 electors voted in the advance polls.
Harvey said the lower turnout for advance polls may have many factors, including the weather and the long weekend. The only advance polls took place over Easter Sunday and Monday.
Special ballot applications close on April 9. As of 8 p.m. on April 7 more than 2,700 special ballots have been issued to electors.
Yukon students under age 18 will also have a chance to participate — as part of the Student Vote Yukon initiative. Eighteen schools will participate, and students will be able to cast a ballot for their party of choice.
Yukon Elections is partnering with CIVIX, a non-partisan national charity, to deliver lesson plans and organize the vote. Results, of course, won’t have an impact on the territorial election, but Harvey said it will be a valuable tool for classrooms.
“It is an exciting and important opportunity to provide awareness and opportunity to youth to engage in the democratic processes,” Harvey said.
Contact Haley Ritchie at haley.ritchie@yukon-news.com