WINNIPEG - Polls to decide Manitoba’s 14 Members of Parliament have opened across the province for the 44th federal election, and you have until 8:30 this evening to cast your ballot. Remember to bring at least one piece of ID with your current address, like a driver's licence, or two pieces of ID such as a utility bill.
Manitobans have already turned out for advance polls in record numbers, with 57 per cent more showing up early this time than in the last election two years ago, among almost 6.8 million people who voted early across Canada.
Thousands of mailed-in ballots won’t be counted until tomorrow, and Elections Canada says it may take up to four days to count all of them, as they have to make sure people who voted by mail didn't go in-person to vote again today.
Here are five reasons why you should vote today — even if you don’t want to:
1. This election will determine how well the MP in your riding will represent you and your interests;
2. It’s a democratic privilege that people elsewhere in the world would love to have, and past generations fought for;
3. You pay taxes one way or another. This election will play a major role in determining how that money will be spent;
4. Now’s your chance to influence government policies that will impact you personally — a chance that usually only happens every four years;
5. Only 55.4 per cent of Manitobans voted in 2019, compared to 77 per cent across Canada. Don’t let a few voters decide the federal fate of your province.
If you don’t know where to go to vote today, you can find out at the Elections Canada website.
What do you think?