The Long Good Friday

Canada’s federal election is being held on April 28. Since we knew who were were going to vote for, Kathleen and I decided to cast our ballot on the first day of Advance Polling, April 18, or Good Friday. Talking about it in the morning, we figured that it wouldn’t be too busy. I may have said something along the lines of “five minutes, we’ll be in and out!”

I was wrong.

Because Elections Canada was wrong.

There was one poll at our location.

This election feels a bit like 2015’s. That people are a bit more motivated to show up to the polls than they otherwise might have been. While it’s sometimes hard to know whether this is particular to my riding (Ottawa Centre always ranks high in advance poll attendance), but it seems to have been the case across the country.

While the wait to vote was long and (unfortunately), my lower back began to hurt, it was nice to see the spirits and determination to cast an early ballot remain. Neighbours were talking to one another, sharing their lives, and while very clearly irritated by the wait, where they could, they stayed put.

And with very few exceptions, nobody took it out on the poll workers and volunteers. Feedback forms were passed around, and it was well-understood that this was a mistake made by the regulator.

In the end, we cast our ballots just over three hours after we got into line outside of Ottawa’s City Hall.

We were happy to get home and eat a late (for us) lunch.