One of the things I note is that now in Canada, Hockey is now called a “Redneck” sport and Canadians are now embracing more soccer and basketball. I must say their soccer team is looking pretty good, they’ll probably make the World Cup.
Canada still used paper ballots only in Federal elections with no machines at any stage of the process. Ballot distribution is tightly controlled. Each electoral district may have hundreds of polls representing a part of the district (often one location will have many polls). Each poll is provided a locked and sealed ballot box with a specified number of ballots enough for the estimated number of voters, plus some extras in case of a spoiled ballot. On election day two government employed poll workers, in the presence of scrutineers appointed by each candidate (if they choose), opens the seal and box, empties out the contents, and everyone knows the number of blank ballots. The empty box is reseated and locked. As voters arrive they must show photo ID, there name is checked off a list (compiled from federal income tax rolls). If they are not on the list, they need proof they live in the electoral district. The voter is handed a ballot initialled by the poll worker, and return it to the poll worker who tears off a strip. The voter is handed the ballot to put in the ballot box. Once the vote is ended the poll workers, again in full view of the scrutineers, open the box and dump out the ballots. There is an initial count of the number of ballots in the box which is compared to the number of strips, and the number of names checked off the lists. Then each ballot is unfolded and shown to all the scrutineers, who each keep their own tally sheets. Once everyone confirms the count is accurate, the poll workers fill out and sign the official reporting sheet showing number of ballots, number of ballots used, number of spoiled ballots, and number cast for each candidate.
There is a small risk of abuse of absentee ballots but Canada does not mail out unsolicited ballots. They must be requested by a voter. All in all the system works and is bullet proof against the widespread mail-in ballot abuse and machine manipulation (double counting and the counting of unaccounted for “suitcase” ballots that we saw in Georgia.