A man from Guelph, Ont., is asking Elections Canada to launch an investigation into fraudulent telephone calls that told Ontario voters that their polling stations had moved for last week's federal election.
Dave Hudson said he wrote to Elections Canada and provided a link to the automated phone call that told him his polling station had been changed for the May 2 vote.
"This is an automated message from Elections Canada. Due to a projected increase in voter turnout, your poll location has been changed. Your new voting location is at the Old Quebec Street Mall at 55 Wyndham St. North," the message states.
Hudson recorded the voicemail, which is still on his answering machine, and uploaded the file to SoundCloud, an online audio-sharing site.
It has been played on Ontario radio stations, he said.
Hudson said he immediately knew the message — which he said was also circulated in Ottawa, Kitchener, Ont., and in ridings on the West Coast — wasn't from Elections Canada.
"I knew I shouldn't trust it. My reaction was more frustration that whichever group or individuals would go to such lengths to make it harder for people to vote," he said. "(Canadians) should be allowed to vote freely. It's a little disturbing."
Hudson, a librarian, said voters using social media spread the word that the automated calls were a hoax.
In an email to Elections Canada, Hudson insists the agency "take whatever steps are within its power to hold those involved accountable."
So far, no one has taken responsibility for the calls.
Elections Canada spokesman John Enright said none of the country's 20,000 polls were moved on election day and that the organization doesn't contact voters by telephone.
He said the agency receives about 600 complaints following each election and that every complaint is investigated.
Under Elections Canada policy, Enright could not confirm or deny whether officials were looking into Hudson's specific case.
"It's a concern that anyone would use Elections Canada in any communication with the electorate because we don't do business that way," he said. "(And) certainly not by telephone."
Polls rarely change locations, Enright said, and would only be moved if a fire, flood or an other emergency would prevent access to a polling site.
He added that an Elections Canada official would stay in the vicinity of the original site to inform voters of any changes.
Hudson said that in his 25 years with the agency, he can't recall complaints of fraudulent telephone calls telling voters that their station had moved.
Elections Canada must by law issue a report to Parliament within 90 days after a federal election outlining how many complaints were filed.
