Terrebonne elections office couldn’t count 5 late ballots, Bloc Québécois to challenge results

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet comments on results in Terrebonne, a riding the party lost by one vote.

Five ballots that were received late at the local Elections Canada office in Quebec’s Terrebonne riding were not able to be counted, the agency confirmed Thursday.

According to Noovo Info, “five ballots were received - but late - at the local office, despite the fact that the return envelope contained an error in the postal code.”

• READ MORE: Election results in Terrebonne are final, despite mailing error: Elections Canada

“There is no information on whether the delay is related to the incorrect postal code,” Elections Canada said. “We note that the signing of the declaration by voters was done late in the election period.”

The Terrebonne riding went red after the last federal election, with Liberal Tatiana Auguste beating Bloc Québécois candidate Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné by a single vote after a judicial recount.

• READ MORE: Recount sees Liberals take Quebec riding of Terrebonne by single vote

Thursday, the Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said he would launch a legal challenge of how the process unfolded in Terrebonne.

He said he would also demand a redo.

Debate surrounding the riding started when a Terrebonne voter told Noovo Info that her ballot was returned to her due to an incorrect postal code on her envelope, a fact Elections Canada confirmed.

• READ MORE: Bloc member who lost by 1 vote considers ‘all options’ after report of ballot problem

“It wasn’t me who wrote the address, said Emmanuelle Bossé. “It was Elections Canada that gave me the envelope with the sticker, and all I had to do was write my return address.”

She revealed that she had voted for the Bloc Québécois.

In an e-mailed statement, Elections Canada points out that of the 115 special ballots sent out, 85 were returned on time and counted.

“As these ballot papers are sealed, we have not checked whether they have the wrong return address,” the agency said.

• READ MORE: Terrebonne resident has ballot rejected after Elections Canada error, Liberals win by 1 vote

An additional 16 ballots were not returned.

In nine cases, electors who had initially requested mail-in ballots ended up voting in person.

Elections Canada concluded that “a more exhaustive review will not be undertaken at this time to preserve the current state of the documents.”

The Bloc`s Sinclair-Desgagné has also said that she was evaluating “all options.”

Despite the uproar, Elections Canada continues to insist that the results are final and a byelection would not be held in the riding.