Voter Registration: It’s as easy as showing your PQ membership card!

Some Québec anglophones and allophones have criticized the Québec Chief Electoral Office for denying them the chance to register to vote. The Parti Québécois has also been criticized for whipping up fear of massive out-of-province voter fraud.

Bernard Drainville, Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship, has responded that the PQ wants to increase voter participation, not decrease it.

“All citizens of Québec, even anglophones and allophones, have the right to vote,” said Mr. Drainville. “We hope that all real Québeckers will exercise their democratic right.”

Mr. Drainville said he recognizes that voters and election officials sometimes have difficulty establishing “proof of domicile” as required under the Civil Code of Québec.

In an effort to help legitimate Québec citizens register to vote, the Parti Québécois has provided a list of acceptable proofs of domicile.

 

Acceptable Proof of Domicile in Québec

Baptismal certificate signed by a Québec Catholic priest

Knowing all the words to Gilles Vigneault’s “Gens du pays”

Personalized autographed photo of René Lévesque

Ticket stub from a bona fide spectacle St-Jean Baptiste

Parti Québécois membership card

 

David Bernans is a Québec-based writer and translator. Follow him on twitter @dbernans.

 

* Note from the author: Although this article bears an uncanny resemblance to certain recent events, it is entirely satirical in nature. The author is not aware of any efforts made by the PQ to encourage anglophone and allophone voter registration.