Danielle Carter and her parents have lived at the same address in Lachine for the past 30 years.
But for some reason Carter and her mother are registered for the Lester B. Pearson election, while her stepfather on is a French school board’s electors list.
“When I called the gentleman at the Lester B. Pearson board I said how does this happen? And how do we correct it, and I don't understand why? And he just said well you know madame, we're in Quebec and that's how it goes sometimes these things happen," she said.
Only parents who are eligible voters with children registered in English schools are automatically put on the English board’s list.
And according to the English School Boards Association, only a fraction of eligible English voters usually register.
"We could substantially double the amount of people on the English voters list, but it takes an effort and people have to want it," said Frank Verrillo of the association.
Many voters looking to register on the English list first have to go online, download a request to transfer form, print it, fill it out and send it in by mail or in person to the English school board in their area.
That must be done before 10 p.m. on Oct. 14th, and keep in mind this Monday is a holiday.
Electoral policy expert Miriam Fahmy says school boards are not proactively working to create lists of people who actually want to vote in their school board.
“The more steps someone has to take in order to get on a list or to go vote the least likely they will end up voting,” she said.
Carter says even after speaking with Elections Quebec she still has unanswered questions.
“How many people are not participating because it's too complicated?” she said.
