Chocolatier by day, Elections Canada service agent by night: Victoria woman took a helicopter tour to help voters

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Vlasta Booth usually runs a chocolate shop in Victoria, but for one week every few years, she gets to step out of her “ordinary life” and help with the federal election.

“I feel like I got the best job in the whole country that week. Like, the coolest job,” said Booth, who is the owner and operator of Chocolat & Co.

While her day job involves making chocolates, she says there’s nothing sweeter than helping people get their voice heard.

She works as a service agent for Elections Canada and has been working every federal election since 2004.

This election was a real highlight for her as she was able to deliver ballots to some of the most remote parts of our country by flying in a helicopter.

“It’s sort of like I’m the mailman and I’m heading up the coast with ballots and registration forms, envelops, so it’s like a mail-in ballot,” Booth explained.

“We’re just doing our best to get as many votes as possible and to get everyone voting,” she continued.

She visited 27 lighthouses around the province and met with dozens of lighthouse keepers, delivering 66 votes.

“They’re honestly so happy that we come out and we’re able to get their vote out and make it count,” she said.

While it is a temporary job, it’s one Booth wants to keep doing for as long as she can.

“It’s really nice to be able to step out of my ordinary life and just have this extraordinary week,” she said.

In the meantime, she’ll be eagerly watching for the election results tonight knowing she helped a small group of voters cast their ballots.

Tahmina Aziz

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