A Victoria council candidate and a citizens group are demanding answers about delayed mail-in ballot packages and voting problems before the city declares its official election results Wednesday. About 2,300 mail ballot packages were delayed at a Canada Post facility for up to five business days after a required form was not filed, according to information acknowledged by the city. The city learned of the delay before election day and urged affected voters to return completed ballots in person by the 8 p.m. deadline on Oct. 17. The City of Victoria has clarified that 3,435 people requested mail ballots, revising its initial estimate of 3,700. Preliminary results show 2,007 mail ballots were counted. The city says 71 per cent of people who requested mail ballots ultimately voted, either by mail or in person, a rate similar to the 2022 election. “The city did everything it could to help people affected by the Canada Post delivery delay of mail ballots,” Colleen Mycroft, the city’s manager of intergovernmental and media relations, said in a statement. The city said it contacted more than 2,000 affected voters to explain their options. It also offered replacement ballot packages, staff-assisted ballot drop-offs and rides to polling stations when needed. The city said connectivity issues occurred early in the morning at some voting locations, but backup systems allowed voting to continue and the problems were quickly resolved. Officials said there were no internet issues on election night. Arthur McInnis, an independent candidate for Victoria city council and Capital Regional District director, wants the city to account for every mail ballot applicant and preserve all related records. “Every person who applied to vote by mail should be accounted for, whatever the margin,” McInnis said in a statement. Preliminary results put McInnis five votes behind Coun. Dave Thompson in the CRD director race. McInnis has said he intends to seek a judicial recount and wants every ballot counted by hand. The Sustainable Victoria Network is also calling for a public accounting of mail ballots and an independent review of the election process. “The city should explain how it planned access to voting and how it responded when problems arose,” McInnis said. “Voters are entitled to answers supported by the records.” According to the city, it received 55 mail-in ballots after the Oct. 17 deadline. It says a judicial recount can be requested through the Provincial Court on specific grounds, including incorrectly accepted or rejected ballots or errors in calculating a candidate’s total votes. The city must declare its official results by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Whether the mail ballot delays affected any election outcome remains unknown.
