The Manitoba Government and General Employees Union

Your Right to Vote

Employee Time Off Work to Vote - For the purpose of voting on Election Day, if your working hours do not allow for 3 consecutive hours outside of work hours, your employer must allow such additional time as is needed to make 3 consecutive hours available, with no penalty to you.

If your employer will not give you time off, it is an offence under The Elections Act.

If you are normally scheduled to work the hours that you need to take off to vote, you should be paid for time off to vote.

Advance Polls - If for some reason you are unable to vote at your regular Polling Place location on Election Day, you can vote during an Advance Poll. Advance Polls are held from the Monday, 8 days before Election Day until the Saturday, 3 days before Election Day. Advance Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance Poll locations are available by contacting your Returning Officer or Elections Manitoba at 1-866-628-6837.

Homebound Voting - Voters who cannot show up in person to their Polling Place or an Advance Poll because of a physical disability, may apply in writing to their Returning Officer to vote at home.

Absentee Voting - Eligible voters on vacation, business travellers, students, temporarily relocated workers, and those living in remote areas of their electoral division can apply to their Returning Officer to vote by mail as an absentee voter. Interested applicants should apply as early as possible.