Hopefully none of you will need it, but this could be handy info to have in your back pocket just in case the new rules in Harper’s Unfair Elections Act give you or someone you know any trouble at the polls tomorrow.
Local lawyer Craig Burley is offering his services free of charge on Monday to anyone who is turned away at a polling station and told that they can’t vote.
In an election reporting record numbers at advanced polls alongside overworked employees and confusion over how to vote under the controversial Fair Elections Act, there’s a decent chance Burley could have some work.“Any service that I can provide to the public on election day – I’m overjoyed to do it,” Burley said. “My hope would be that everyone who shows up to vote and is eligible has a chance to cast a ballot.”
“I just want to be available so people have an opportunity to exercise their rights. We’ve already seen examples … of people being turned away or who are unfamiliar with the law.”
Burley, who is based in Hamilton, can be contacted by phone at 905-870-0196 or on Twitter at @craig_burley. He says he’ll be available to advise people by phone, email or social media, and will even come to your polling station personally at no cost to you if need be.
Are people offering this service in other cities? It would be great if they were. If you know of any, drop a note in the comments or catch me by email or Twitter. Contact info is here.