Residents of Ottawa's Carleton riding will see a record number of 91 names on the ballot on April 28. The vast majority of them are independent candidates. And the reason for this anomaly is not the political activity of voters, but a protest action.

It's all about the work of the Longest Ballot Committee, an organization that has been fighting for reform of Canada's electoral system since 2015. One of the group's leaders, Tomasz Szuchewicz, explains: "Politicians should not determine the rules of elections - this is a direct conflict of interest."

The group uses an unusual tactic: they make the ballots as long as possible to draw attention to the problem. For example, in 2024, they already achieved the longest ballot in the country's history - 91 candidates during the by-election in Montreal. A similar action was held in Toronto-St. Pauls: due to 84 candidates (77 of them nominated by this group), the vote count dragged on until 4 am.

Shuchevych is the official agent for 86 independent candidates in Carleton. All of them have been officially vetted and have provided 100 voter signatures.

The organization demands that electoral rules in Canada be developed not by politicians, but by an independent, non-partisan body, such as a citizens' assembly.