Elections Canada allows voters to mark their ballots with a pencil or pen

 

 

Elections Canada allows voters to mark their ballots with a pencil or pen. Some posts on social media have suggested that only pencils should be used on ballots. However, some posts have also called for the use of pens to prevent ballot tampering. Following this, Elections Canada has clarified that pencils and pens can be used on ballots.

Elections Canada has clarified on its website that the claim that marking a ballot with a pencil can fade or be erased, and therefore the vote will not be counted, is false. The law requires that polling officials provide voters with black lead pencils. However, the agency says that if necessary, a pen or any other writing instrument can be used. The ink in the pens can dry out or bleed. This can render the ballot paper unusable. That is why they use pencils, Elections Canada said. Ballots are only opened when it is time to count on election day. All ballots are counted by election staff. The counting of votes is conducted in the presence of witnesses representing the candidates, according to the Elections Canada website.