Élections Québec Sends Key Electoral Information in French Only

TALQ CALLS ON ELECTIONS QUEBEC TO PROVIDE ELECTORAL INFORMATION IN BOTH FRENCH AND ENGLISH

TALQ has written to Quebec’s Chief Electoral Officer, Jean-François Blanchet, calling on Élections Québec to reverse its decision to provide important electoral information to citizens by mail in French only during the upcoming provincial election and to ensure that essential information is available in both French and English.

For the first time in a general election, documents including the election guide, notice of entry and reminder card will be provided in French only. English-language information will instead be accessible through a QR code or upon request, with eligible citizens required to confirm their eligibility to receive information in English.

These requirements create unnecessary barriers to accessing essential electoral information and may disproportionately affect seniors and other vulnerable citizens who face greater challenges navigating them.

“This is fundamentally an issue of democratic participation, not language politics,” said Eva Ludvig, President of TALQ. “TALQ fully recognizes the importance of French as Quebec’s official language. But our electoral system should maximize participation, not put additional barriers in the way of voters.”

Bilingual electoral information has been provided directly to citizens in previous Quebec general elections and referenda. TALQ sees no reason to abandon that practice now. The right to vote is fundamental to democracy, and the electoral process should promote participation while ensuring fairness, accessibility and transparency.

“Élections Québec has a responsibility to administer elections with integrity and reliability and to contribute to the vitality of Quebec democracy,” Ludvig said. “Providing essential electoral information in both French and English supports that responsibility and gives citizens the information they need to participate fully.”

TALQ is urging Élections Québec to reverse course and ensure that essential electoral information is provided in both French and English, without requiring citizens to navigate extra steps to access it.

IN THE NEWS