By Canadian Press

N.L. delays full election after COVID-19 outbreak tied to U.K. variant

Feb 12, 2021 | 7:22 PM

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador’s chief electoral officer has called off all voting set for Saturday because of the province’s COVID-19 outbreak.

Bruce Chaulk says voting in the provincial election will now be exclusively by mail, and ballots must be received by March 1.

His announcement tonight came shortly after health officials announced they’d confirmed the U.K. variant was behind the COVID-19 outbreak that hit the St. John’s region this week.

Voters in about half of the province were set to head to the polls Saturday, after Chaulk announced Thursday that in-person voting was suspended across the Avalon Peninsula, which includes St. John’s.

Under the Alert Level 5 imposed tonight by chief medical officer Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, gatherings of more than 5 people are prohibited.

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An Elections NL spokeswoman said earlier Friday that many poll workers in the ridings where the election was set to proceed were quitting over fears of contracting and spreading COVID-19.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2021.

The Canadian Press