Federal prisoners will vote for first time in next election

2002 Supreme Court decision will turn prisons into polling stations

Ottawa - Federal prisoners will be voting for the first time in the next federal election, meaning that prisons will become polling stations for the first time.

In 2002 the Supreme Court of Canada threw out an Elections Act provision barring convicted criminals such as murderers, rapists and robbers from voting. Denying them voting rights is an unjustified violation of their rights under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the court said.

The decision was controversial and has provoked a strong negative reaction from police forces and victims rights groups. Others argue that the ability to vote behind bars is a welcome move that contributes to the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Inmates 18 years of age and older, serving sentences of two years or more in federal institutions, will be eligible to vote. At the moment there are 12,044 male inmates and 395 female inmates in federal prisons. They will be eligible to cast ballots for candidates in the ridings where they last lived prior to incarceration.

They will vote at advance polls held 10 days prior to the actual election date.

Web posted by NUPGE: 7 April 2004

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