Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR) – Election Riding

[McG]

It is an election year and that means, as in years past, there will be some handfuls of young CAF members surprised by the fact that we generally cannot just vote at the local polls with all the civilians in our community (there are also another handful of longer serving individuals who should know better but are still surprised).

At the time of enrollment, all Reg F members sign a statement of ordinary residence (SOR) which determines the riding for which they may vote (though, with all the paperwork being signed, some members may not realize the significance of this document at the time).  If a member later decides they want to vote in another riding, the change can be made by submitting a new SOR through the chain of command to the CO.  There are constraints on new locations members may select in an SOR (based on past and present addresses, as well as NoK address).

If you do not know where you are voting, you should seek to get this information.  If you are not happy with where you will be voting, then make the changes necessary.  Once an election is called, it is too late to change.

 

[dapaterson]

Further information is available at: http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-reports-pubs-military-law/statement-of-ordinary-residence.page

 

[McG]

I hope everyone took the advice and is happy with the riding they will vote into.  With the election formally called, it is now too late to change your riding for this upcoming vote.

 

[Scoobs]

Thanks for the timely info.  Although I have been in for a number of years, I forgot to change my SOR to the area where I used to live and expect to return to (I'm currently posted OUTCAN).  No worries though, I still believe that every vote counts.

 

[Harrigan]

Scoobs, your situation brings up an interesting question.

So if someone is OUTCAN on a posting and has no property in Canada, do they vote in the last riding they were posted to in Canada, or the last riding that they completed an SOR for?  It seems the latter, but is not terribly clear.

Harrigan

 

[George Wallace]

OUTCAN CAF members vote in the Riding that is stated on their SOR. 

 

[McG]

Harrigan,
You may want to go back to the begining in this thread.  There is no interesting point for the OUTCAN scenario. 
Reg F do not vote based on where they are posted; they vote according to the riding in their SOR regardless of where they happen to be in the world.

 

[Harrigan]

Harrigan,
You may want to go back to the begining in this thread.  There is no interesting point for the OUTCAN scenario. 
Reg F do not vote based on where they are posted; they vote according to the riding in their SOR regardless of where they happen to be in the world.

Yes, I saw your initial post, but Scoobs reminded me of a question I remember having when I was OUTCAN.  I wasn't disregarding your comments.
I wasn't clear if one votes in the last riding they had been living in in Canada, or what was on the SOR (which could be a few postings earlier)?  I had heard a few years ago that once you changed your SOR from your initial riding (when you joined), it the riding you voted in followed you from posting to posting.  I see now that this is not actually the case.

Harrigan

 

[Pusser]

Actually, if you never change your SOR, then your riding DOES follow you from posting to posting.  And, once you change it for a new SOR, that one follows you from posting to posting again, until YOU change it.

 

[kratz]

With the anticipation of a fall election, members are reminded to review and update their SOR if they are choosing to cast their vote through the military voting system.

Note: updates take effect 60 days after your CO receives a new SOR.
So with an October election, it is best to have submitted your updated SOR prior to the end of July 2019.

 

[dapaterson]

There are significant changes coming to the Elections Act, including a large expansion of the definition of Canadian Forces Elector, per Bill C-76.

https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/C-76/royal-assent