Liberal leadership candidates Karina Gould, Frank Baylis, Chrystia Freeland, and Mark Carney posed for a photo before the English-language debate in Montreal on Tuesday. The Liberal Party will choose its new leader on March 9. Voting started Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET. The Canadian Press
The voting process to select the next leader of the Liberal Party has officially begun. This leadership race will determine who will replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Registered Liberals have until March 9 at 3 p.m. ET to cast their votes, with the results expected later that day.
However, many Liberals are frustrated with the online voting system. Some say they have struggled with verifying their identity due to issues with the Canada Post system, which handles identity confirmation.
How to Vote in the Leadership Race
To be eligible, voters must have registered as Liberals before January 27, 2025. Those who registered should have received a voter ID via email. If not, they can request it by filling out an online form with their name, postal code, date of birth, and email.
Once they have their voter ID, they must confirm their eligibility using an online tool. The next step is verifying their identity, either through the Canada Post Identity+ mobile app or at a participating post office.
For those using the app, the process includes entering their email, receiving a verification code, and taking a picture of themselves. They must also upload images of their driver's license or another ID and provide proof of Canadian citizenship. If they don’t have a passport, other documents can be used to confirm their status.
After identity verification, voters receive final instructions via email on how to cast their ballot electronically.
Voters Frustrated with the Process
Many voters have encountered difficulties at different stages of verification. Eric Bogdanovs, a voter from Quebec, described the process as “really hellish.” He said he faced issues at every step and only managed to vote after several days of calling and emailing the party. His wife, Nancy Shaw, is still struggling to complete the process.
"We're old people. We have a hard time with these electronics," Shaw said, adding that the process has been challenging for them.
Ron Usher, a voter from British Columbia, also faced verification issues. He went to a post office for help with the selfie verification step, but staff were unable to confirm his address using his driver’s license sticker.
“The in-person thing didn’t work,” Usher said. He has tried reaching out to the party but has received no response.
Despite these challenges, he remains determined to vote and plans to keep trying until he successfully verifies his identity.
