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Voting certainly didn’t come easy this municipal election for residents in Clarence-Rockland.

The polls in Clarence-Rockland, just east of Ottawa, were forced to remain open for two extra hours Monday night after there were problems issuing PINs to voters trying to cast ballots by Internet and telephone. Officials believe some frustrated voters simply gave up, rather than wait in long lineups.

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City clerk Monique Ouellet extended the voting hours until 10 p.m. in the community, which has experienced several problems this election with its electronic voting efforts. Voters complained of waiting in line for more than an hour to get their PINs and cast a ballot.

Anyone who got to the polling station by 10 p.m. was allowed to get a PIN and vote by Internet and by telephone, Ouellet said.

“It’s a little slower than we thought,” Ouellet said Monday night. “It’s about an hour wait right now … I believe that some people probably turned around so I want them to come back to vote.”

Residents had to go to polling stations for PIN numbers after the PINs initially sent to thousands of voters in the area by mail last week were visible through the window of some envelopes, sparking privacy concerns.

jfekete@ottawacitizen.com

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