THUNDER BAY — Residents of some rural communities in Thunder Bay-Superior North have been frustrated in their efforts to participate in Ontario's provincial election.
Staffing issues at Aroland First Nation, Long Lake 58 First Nation, Caramat, Pays Plat First Nation and Rossport meant there was no local polling station, forcing residents who wanted to cast their ballots on Thursday to travel to other communities.
But some were unable to do so.
"I went over there before noon, and I found out there was no poll station here...It's unfair to me as a voter, and it's unfair to the candidates," Pays Plat resident Gilbert Martin told Newswatch.
Martin explained that he would have had to cast his ballot in Schreiber, but he has no vehicle.
"I'm very disappointed, because I usually vote in the provincial and federal elections," he said, adding that he's aware of a number of other Pays Plat residents who had no way to get to Schreiber either.
Thunder Bay-Superior North returning officer Julio Gomes said "unfortunately, we did have some staffing issues at small voting locations in the outlying areas."
Gomes said "despite the diligent efforts of our recruiting team over the last several weeks," Elections Ontario was unable to find people to work in the polling stations in several communities.
"At these locations, because we had no one to work, we had no choice but to merge the poll with the nearest location, which would have been Schreiber for Pays Plat and Rossport, which would have been Longlac for Long Lake 58 and Caramat, and the folks at Aroland would have to go to Nakina."
Gomes said information about the change was sent to each community with a request that a notice be posted on the door of what would normally be the local voting location.
