A Saskatchewan cancer patient says he was unable to vote in the federal election because he was in hospital.

“I feel I was shorted. I wanted to be a part of this election,” said Chris Hoyle, who was receiving treatment at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital on Monday.

“I want my right to vote.”

Hoyle said he wasn’t expecting to be hospitalized on election day.

He was rushed to RUH from Nipawin with pneumonia-type symptoms on Saturday and has been required to stay at RUH since.

“You never know when you’re going to get stuck in the hospital,” Hoyle said.

He expected there would be a specialized mobile polling station for patients at hospitals, and was surprised his only option was to travel to his assigned station – which he was unable to do.

Patients vote during advanced polls: Elections Canada

In a statement to CTV News, an Elections Canada spokesperson said voters who are hospitalized during the election period can vote by special ballot from their hospital room, but it can only happen during advanced polls.

In Hoyle’s situation “the elector would not have been able to cast the ballot from the hospital.”

Hoyle said he hopes changes can be made by the next federal election for patients who want to vote in-hospital on election day.