Election selfies are encouraged, but take them outside polling stations
Posting a photo of a completed ballot could land you in jail
While advance polls were open across Canada on the Thanksgiving weekend, many voters took to social media to document the event by posting election selfies.
As the number of selfies increased, Elections Canada tweeted a reminder that they must be taken outside the polling stations.
Dugald Maudsley, regional media adviser for Elections Canada, said, “The polling station is the actual room where people vote.”
The rationale is that Elections Canada wants to uphold the integrity of the secret ballot.
Posting a photo of a completed ballot is a violation of Section 164 2b of the Elections Act.
“If a person is found guilty of posting a completed ballot, it would be a summary conviction which can lead to six months in prison or a $5,000 fine, or both,” said Maudsley.
“We want people to take election selfies, but people should do so outside.”
You can share your voting stories on Twitter by using the hashtag #PollWatch
~cbc.ca