Thread by @ElectionsCan_E

We’ve been seeing a lot of comments suggesting we didn’t count some special ballots sent by mail during #Elxn44. Let’s be clear: we counted ALL ballots that arrived on time and that were not spoiled. Read the thread below for the facts about the rest. 1/

The Canada Elections Act is clear: we cannot count ballots or even open ballot envelopes that arrive after the deadlines. We also obviously cannot count ballots that were never returned to us. 2/

So why are some people concerned about the number of “uncounted” ballots? Recently, we’ve seen social media posts that lacked key information. 3/

Some suggest a number of ballots were “uncounted.” In fact, some were simply uncountable.
•1,047 didn't meet mandatory checks (spoiled)
•90,274 arrived after deadlines set in the Act
•114,583 were not returned
Total votes counted, incl. at polls & by special ballot: 17,209,811

We track how many special ballot voting kits are sent out, how many come back late, how many are spoiled, and how many are never sent back to us. Those numbers are available in Table 3 of our report on the 44th general election: elections.ca/content.aspx?s… 5/

A more detailed breakdown of votes in the 2021 election, including stats by riding, will be published in the coming weeks. Follow us or check elections.ca for updates. 6/

PS – ALL ballots are counted by hand in front of witnesses. By law, candidates can send representatives to witness the count at any polling location or Elections Canada office in their riding, and in #Elxn44, they were also welcome at our distribution centre. 7/

If you're concerned about the integrity of Canada's electoral process, see for yourself how it's done: come work with us at the next election.

If you have additional questions about counting procedures or integrity measures, don’t hesitate to reach out. 8/

To learn more about the safeguards behind vote by mail, check out our Twitter Moment from #Elxn44: twitter.com/i/events/14294… 9/9