Mail-in voting set to soar in Canada election, could undermine Trudeau, New Democratic Party

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on during a news conference after visiting ETI Converting Equipment during his election campaign tour in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada August 16, 2021. REUTERS/Andrej Ivanov

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Mail-in voting in Canada is set to soar ahead of the Sept. 20 election amid fears of COVID-19, and the complex registration process could deter voters, possibly undermining Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's bid for a majority government.

Pollsters say mainly Liberal and left-leaning voters would like to use mail-in balloting, while Conservatives prefer to vote in person. But Liberal strategists are concerned the sign-up process for casting ballots by mail could discourage their supporters from using it and lead them to not vote at all.