Élections Québec says it will send out voting information in French only
A group representing anglophones in Quebec is calling on the provincial elections authority to reverse its decision to only send out voter information in French.
Élections Québec said Tuesday that printed voter cards will only be available in French for the first time in its history, in order to comply with language laws. In previous elections, voter information cards were printed in both English and French.
Spokesperson Julie St-Arnaud-Drolet said in an email that Élections Québec must follow legislation adopted in 2022 making French the sole language of communication for public institutions. However, this year’s documents will include a QR code for voters to access information online in English, she added.
Indigenous voters and those eligible to receive English instructions must contact Élections Québec to request English information.
But Eva Ludvig, the director of a lobby group that represents the anglophone community in Quebec, says the new measures are creating unnecessary barriers for voters. She says Élections Québec, as a neutral and independent institution, should encourage maximum participation in democracy.
“I think this goes contrary to all that,” said Ludvig, the director of Talking Advocating Living in Quebec. “This limits participation. It marginalizes English speakers. It limits participation to those who aren’t adept at using technology.”