The recruitment for people to help run local voting polls Monday continues right to the 11th hour as Elections Canada prepares for voting day.
“We’re going to be hiring straight through to the weekend,” said Barrie-Innisfil returning officer Dennis Chronopoulos. “I’m relatively confident now that I’m going to have the staff that I need, but I’m mainly focusing now on having a buffer.
“We’re hiring and training straight through to Saturday so I have enough people, in case.”
Chronopoulos said he could hire 30 to 40 people right now to work Monday. Already more than 450 people are set to work at Barrie-Innisfil’s 26 voting locations on Monday.
Elections Canada has indicated that there are still many vacancies across the country they are hoping to fill. There are also fewer locations than in past general elections, given the pandemic.
Chronopoulos, who has been a local returning officer in two previous elections, does expect the whole voting process might take a bit longer.
This year, he said, there are locations that haven’t been used in previous elections and in some instances, the space is smaller.
“So COVID distancing and safety measures will cause some delay,” he said. “More people may have to be lined up outside instead of inside. People just need to be patient because we’re taking all the precautions.
“Everyone who gets in line to vote, will vote.”
Voting takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and everyone who arrives to their assigned voting location before the 9:30 p.m. cutoff will be able to cast their vote, even if it’s after the doors close, he added.
Chronopoulos said a bilingual person will be on hand at each of the Barrie-Innisfil locations.
Anyone interested in working can go to elections.ca or call 1-866-236-8541.
