Can't make it out to vote on June 7? Elections Ontario has got you covered

With the official start of the provincial election this week, some Ontarians may be taking close looks at party platforms, the ever-changing polls and the meaning behind nuanced interactions between the party leaders. But some people may need to just get up to speed on the basics, like when, how and where to vote.

Whether in a hospital, on vacation or at home voters can rest assured their vote will be counted

CBC News Posted: May 13, 2018 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 13, 2018

Ontario voters will make their way to the polls on June 7, but Elections Ontario says there are plenty of ways to vote before then. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

With the official start of the provincial election this week, some Ontarians may be busy analysingparty platforms, the ever-changing polls and the meaning behind nuanced interactions between the party leaders.

But some people may need to just get up to speed on the basics, like when, how and where to vote.

Elections Ontario, a non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, aims to make it easy for anyoneto vote in the upcoming election, regardless of language, ability or location.

There are all sorts of hacks to getting out the vote that most people may not have considered. Like, did you know some hospitals in Ontario set up a voting program for patients?

And selfies with your ballot are not allowed because "it violates the secrecy of the vote," according to Elections Ontario's website, as does posting the picture on your social media account. Sorry Instagrammers.

Justin Timberlake got in hot water for posting a selfie at a voting station in Tennessee in 2016. He later deleted the post, as it is illegal to take photos or videos inside polling stations in that state. In Ontario, taking a selfie with a completed ballot is a violation of the Elections Act. (Instagram)

CBC Toronto spoke with Cara Des Granges, a spokesperson for Elections Ontario, to get few more tips on voting smarter.

What can a person do if they can't make it out to vote on June 7?

Cara Des Granges: We know that life happens. Sometimes you go on a trip, sometimes you can't make it on election day, so we want to make sure that we give as many options as we can to voters to exercise their right to vote.

You can vote in person at a returning office from now until June 6 at 6 p.m. You can find your local returning office on our website. Or through the voter information card that we'll be sending out to electors in the mail.

You can also vote by mail. To do so you can either pick up a special ballot kit at your returning office, or you can also contact us either by email or just download it from our website. That will be the option if you know you're going on a trip and you can't make it in person. You can get one of these kits and just make sure to send it back to us before June 7 at 6 p.m.

If, for some reason, you can't make it out to your returning office, let's say you don't know how to read or write and you need assistance, or are struggling with a disability, we do offer home visits. For that you'll need to contact our local returning office and someone will be in touch with you about voting from home.

If you're in the hospital during the election period, some hospitals in Ontario have a voting program that takes place from May 21 to 23.

Advance voting runs from May 26 to May 30 at advanced voting locations in electoral districts, and May 26 to June 1 in returning offices, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What if a person requires assistance to vote?

CDG: We do have assisted voting technologies in voting locations. That gives the option for people who may require a different technology.

About assisted voting(from the Elections Ontario website):

"Voters who choose to use theAssistiveVoting Technology device will be able to listen to the ballot choices and make their selection using three controller options:

The Audio Tactile Interface orATIcontroller: It includes large raised buttons and bright colours and has Braille inscriptions. The controller is also described by audio.
Paddles: For voters who cannot use the keypad, there are red and blue paddles which can be pressed using hands, feet or even elbows. The paddles arelabeledL for left and R for right.
Sip and Puff Technology: The Sip and Puff technology is a method used to send signals to a device using air pressure by "sipping" (inhaling) or "puffing" (exhaling) into a straw."

They can also use their cell phones if they have a special applications that help them see things differently larger scale or listening devices.

Voters who don't understand English or French can bring a friend or a family member with them to vote. That person will be required to take an oath, after which they will be able to act as a translator.

What's changed since the last election?

CDG: In 2014 we had 107 electoral districts and this year in 2018 we're having 124. So there's a good chance that your voting location boundaries may have changed. Or you may be voting in a different electoral district that may be a new one.

So, what we're doing to make sure Ontarians know when and where to vote this time around, is we're asking them to register to the voter's list early if possible. They can do so by visiting our website and e-registering.

They can check and see if they're on the list, and they can update if their information isn't correct. Or they can add themselves if they're not on the list already.

That way they'll receive a voter information card in the mail and that will give you all the information that you need to know to vote throughout the election period.

Cara Des Granges' comments have been edited and condensed for clarity.

With files from Hailey Salvian

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|