‘Wildly popular’ voting option returns to Windsor, Ont.

There’s still time on Sunday for you to cast a vote from the safety and warmth of your car.

After more than a year of planning, the city has opened drive-thru voting lanes for casting a ballot in the municipal election.

They will be at the large parking lot in Mic Mac Park, across from the Novelleotto Sports Complex until 6:00 p.m. Sunday.

But this is not the first time the city has rolled out drive-thru voting.

“It proved to be wildly popular,” when used for the 2020 federal by-election, according to Terri Knight Lepain, Windsor’s manager of records and elections.

“The wait is no longer than five or six minutes [and] you can stay in your vehicle,” adds Knight Lepain. “We do have a dedicated lane for pedestrian walk-through traffic and we're happy to serve any voter as long as they can get themselves here.”

Matthew, who did not wish to provide his last name hopped on his skateboard to cast a ballot.

“I handed them my ID and voter card and they gave me the [ballot] and I went behind the little screen, voted, and went back on my board,” says Matthew. “It's [voting] very important to help shape the future of what we want as a society. It's up to us to vote in who we want.”

Knight Lepain says they have noticed this weekend a lot of families bringing their elderly loved ones to a drive-thru, or busy parents who are in-between shuttling kids to sports.

“I'm very thankful and encouraged by that,” says Knight Lepain.

45 staff members, from various city departments, setup, operate and tear down the drive-thru advance polls, which will move to the west end next weekend.

Here are the next drive thru advance poll opportunities:

• Friday, Oct. 14, WFCU Centre — Collavino parking lot drive-thru voting — 8787 McHugh Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 15, WFCU Centre — Collavino parking lot drive-thru voting — 8787 McHugh Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 16, WFCU Centre — Collavino parking lot drive-thru voting — 8787 McHugh Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Here are the details about more traditional advance polls this coming week:

• Tuesday, Oct. 11, All Saints Church — Parish Hall 330 City Hall Square West from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 12, Most Precious Blood Parish — Church Hall 1947 Meldrum Road from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

After more than a year of planning, Knight Lepain says it’s going to be a busy few weeks for her team in elections and records.

“This [advance poll] would be the play downs. I guess the Super Bowl Game Day is October 24th,” she says.