Little action yet on N.W.T. voters' lack of photo ID, 2 years after report
Former chief electoral officer's 2013 report recommended changes
Not much has been done to get more people in the Northwest Territories official photo identification, despite recommendations from the territory's chief electoral officer two years ago.
In 2013, then-electoral officer David Brock filed a report called 'Issues Arising from the 2011 General Election.' In it, he said the territorial government needed to take steps to ensure more people were getting photo ID, which includes driver's licences, general identification cards, passports and territorial government employee ID cards.
His concern was that recent changes to voter ID requirements may become barriers to voting for those without such identification.
In 2013, 30 per cent of people in the territory did not have N.W.T.-issued photo identification.
In Yellowknife, 80 per cent had N.W.T.-issued photo identification; in regional centres such as Inuvik and Fort Simpson, 70 per cent of people had photo ID.
However the percentages in the communities were much lower; in most less than half had ID. Dettah had the lowest percentage of people with photo ID, at just 2 per cent, followed by Kakisa at 4 per cent.
Brock said he was concerned the lack of ID would mean aboriginal people in the communities would be less likely to vote. Having photo ID would also allow people to "access government services, board commercial flights, and conduct other business that requires photo identification," he wrote.
Both Elections NWT and the territorial government say, since then, they've only talked about how to get more people in the territory photo IDs.
One recommendation to allow more vouching has been implemented. A voter with ID can now vouch for up to five people who don't have ID, legally attesting to their identity. In the 2011 N.W.T. election, an elector could only vouch for one person.
Other recommendations had included a promotional campaign targeting the communities with the lowest percentages of photo ID — communities that also have a large aboriginal population. That was not done.