I've used mail-in voting for a few elections since the start of the pandemic, including for the UK General Election. It's pretty easy and accessible in that the ballot comes to me and all I have to do is drop it in the closest mailbox. Or that's the theory! It worked for all the elections I participated in since 2020. The UK one was the trickiest because UK's postal service and international mail is not exactly swift. Yet I had time to review the candidates and think carefully about who to vote for, despite the extra time I padded in for slower delivery times.

Theory hit a hard block this Toronto election.

The main objective of the Plan is to identify and eliminate barriers for persons with disabilities to ensure that elections are accessible to all voters and candidates.

Somebody forgot to check the barrier of time.

I smacked into this barrier when I applied for the mail-in package; waited and waited for it to arrive; got distracted for about 4 days by the stream of home repairs; looked through my voting package; checked the website for dates; and screamed silently at the risk of my vote not counting because I may've missed the deadline even though the deadline was not for another 4 days.

Oh, I reassured myself. I can mail it for Monday morning pickup. Canada Post's delivery standard is two business days. It should get there by noon on Wednesday, right?

Anyway, I'd already spoken to a couple of canvassers and a candidate and I started checking out viable candidates' websites, then startled to a stop. It's Thanksgiving weekend! No mail service on holiday Mondays!!

Many years ago, a postal employee explained to me that the worst day of the week to mail a letter is a Friday. The Saturday mail gets dumped on Friday's, and Sunday's on top of Saturday's. So Friday mail is the last to leave on Monday and may not achieve Canada Post standard delivery times. That means I should've mailed my ballot on Thursday. Tuesday is too late, and Friday is iffy, too, as risks not getting there before noon -- noon!! -- on Wednesday.

I can walk to one of the drop-off locations, right?

Bwahahaha!

The first major backwards things Premier Doug Ford did to show Toronto who's mayor (hint: the Premier) is to halve the number of wards for the City of Toronto. The wards are so large now that one drop-off location per ward automatically requires most to cadge a lift, pay for a cab with money they don't have, ask for a favour, or give up. The few within viable walking distance are the only ones who can drop their mail-in ballot at a drop-off location. Viable includes flat ground, personal stamina, and/or walking ability. You don't realize how hilly Toronto is until you get a brain or other kind of injury.

I checked the locations closest to me. Closest is a bit of a misnomer.

Back to thinking about options.

Only one: ask my case manager if they can take it to a drop-off location. But I had to wait until Tuesday to ask for this favour, less than 24 hours before the deadline because holiday weekend.

Who looked at the mail-in dates and completely ignored Thanksgiving weekend? Who decided noon is a good time to cut off ballot acceptance?

The Federal election was on 28 April 2025. I received my mail-in voting package in plenty of time to review the candidates, fill in my ballot, and trundle to the mailbox with enough days to ensure it got there on time. Of course, one never really knows if one's ballot arrived on time, but you assume Canada Post pulls out all the stops for delivering ballots on time. Why when voter turnout is the lowest for municipal elections did Toronto not follow the Federal lead to at least maximize voter engagement?

22 April 2025 was the last date to apply to vote by mail for the 2025 Federal election. I mailed my ballot on 16 April 2025, several days before the last day to apply for a ballot. Toronto's cut-off date to apply for a mail-in ballot, in contrast, was a month in advance!

I applied several days before Toronto's mail-in cut-off date yet didn't expect the deadline for mailing via Canada Post was essentially Thursday, 8 October 2026, not even a week after I received my mail-in package.

Election day is October 26th.

I think accessibility means not having tight deadlines. It means allowing for holiday delays in mailing standards. It means allowing for crises or routine appointments (of which people with disabilities have too many) getting in the way of getting things done. And not requiring voters with disabilities to make a decision before they're ready to. People without disabilities can vote in the advance polls if they choose to or vote on election day. People with disabilities who rely on mail-in ballots are disenfranchised when cut-off days for using Canada Post are well in advance of election day and before the last advance polling day. It's not like mail-in voting gives you a choice of advance voting or voting on the day. So it should be as close to election day as possible and not more than a week in advance.

How did the media miss this?

The City Clerk’s Office is committed to making our services accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities. We comply with the customer service standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

In fulfilling our mission, the City Clerk’s Office will provide its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We strive to provide people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services in the same place, and in a similar way as others. [emphasis mine]

I don't think setting noon less than two days after a holiday long weekend as the cut-off deadline for mail-in ballots fulfills "same opportunity" to vote "as others."

One last thing: first names are in teeny tiny font. It's super easy to vote for Braeden Chow when you think you're voting for Olivia Chow. Braeden comes before Olivia -- first in line draws greater attention. And perceptually, a person with brain injury or not paying close attention may not notice there are two Chows. Be wary!