822 Ballots Missed in B.C. Riding, Elections Canada Says
Elections Canada announced on May 7, 2025, that 822 special ballots cast during the recent federal election were mistakenly kept at the returning officer’s office for the riding of Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam instead of being returned to headquarters for counting by the April 28 deadline (Newswire). An initial review by the agency concluded that human error and non-compliance with written procedures were to blame and that the outcomes in all 74 affected districts would remain unchanged (Newswire). Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault has ordered a complete review of control measures to prevent such mishaps in future elections (NNSL Media).
Background
What Are Special Ballots?
Special ballots include votes cast by mail and those cast in person at an Elections Canada office, designed to accommodate electors who cannot vote at their assigned polling station on election day (Newswire). Under the Canada Elections Act, these ballots must be returned to Elections Canada headquarters by 6 p.m. on the Monday before election day (in this case April 28) to be validly counted (Newswire).
Timeline of Events
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April 28, 2025: Deadline for returning special ballots to headquarters.
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May 7, 2025: Elections Canada informs political parties that 822 ballots were inadvertently left in Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam (Newswire).
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May 7, 2025: Media outlets report the incident, prompting public scrutiny and calls for procedural review (NNSL Media).
Details of the Incident
Scope and Distribution
The 822 ballots originated from 74 electoral districts across Canada but were consolidated at the Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam office instead of being forwarded to Ottawa (Newswire). The largest share, 530 ballots, belonged to the Port Moody–Coquitlam riding, where Liberal candidate Zoe Royer won by a margin of 1,948 votes (NNSL Media). Other ridings with notable numbers included:
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New Westminster–Burnaby–Maillardville: 33 ballots
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Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge: 26 ballots
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Burnaby Central: 22 ballots
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Vancouver Centre: 12 ballots (Newswire)
A complete table of distributions by riding was shared with all registered parties (Newswire).
Impact Analysis
Effect on Election Outcomes
Elections Canada’s initial analysis determined that none of the 74 affected ridings experienced an outcome change due to the misplaced ballots, as the number of mislaid votes did not exceed the winning margins in any district (Newswire). For example, in Port Moody–Coquitlam, the winning margin of 1,948 votes far exceeded the 530 uncounted ballots (NNSL Media).
Local Perspectives
The Prince George Citizen reported that four ballots from Prince George ridings were among those left behind, underscoring that the issue spanned from urban centres in B.C. to more remote districts (Prince George Citizen). Meanwhile, Economic Times characterized the episode as a procedural mishap rather than fraud, noting Elections Canada’s reassurance that results stood firm (The Economic Times).
Responses and Next Steps
Elections Canada’s Actions
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Notification: All registered political parties were informed immediately upon discovery.
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Review Ordered: Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault has commissioned a complete control review to strengthen ballot handling protocols (NNSL Media).
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Public Commitment: Perrault pledged transparency and corrective measures to uphold election integrity (Newswire).
Expert Commentary
UBC political scientist Stewart Prest emphasized the inevitability of human error in large-scale operations and praised Elections Canada’s prompt disclosure and corrective stance as a “validation of the validation process” (Reddit).
Conclusion
While the misplacement of 822 special ballots across 74 ridings highlights vulnerabilities in procedural compliance, Elections Canada’s swift analysis and commitment to procedural review aim to restore confidence in Canada’s electoral system. With no change to any riding’s outcome, the incident serves more as a prompt for systemic improvements than a crisis of democratic legitimacy.
