Knowing your voting options and what to expect can help you choose a time and place to vote that work best for you. Remember, you can vote almost anytime during the election.
To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen, be at least 18 years old on election day, be registered and prove your identity and address.
Get to know your riding and the candidates.
Voter Information Card
Federal by-election
To vote, you must:
Visit elections.ca to know what ID is accepted.
Bring this card with you, along with ID, to make the voting process easier.
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During a federal election, the Voter Information Service shows information about each riding. Enter your postal code in the search box to get:
By law, electors must have three consecutive hours to cast their vote on election day. If your hours of work do not allow for three hours in a row to vote, your employer must give you time off.
Your employer gets to decide when in the day you will get this time off. Read more about time off to vote at elections.ca.
Get to know your voting options and choose the one that works best for you.
Elections Canada offers other ways to vote for electors in exceptional situations, including:
You vote at your assigned polling station, based on where you live. Check your voter information card, use the online Voter Information Service or call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY) to find the date, hours and address of your assigned polling station.
Your assigned polling station will be open for 12 hours on election day.
When you enter the building, follow the signs to the voting location.
When you get there, an election worker will greet you and show you to your polling station (voting service desk). You might have to wait while other voters are being served.
An election worker will ask you for your name and your proof of identity and address.
If you're not yet registered to vote, an election worker can assist you. They will help you fill out a form to register to vote.
There are three ways to prove your identity and address. Learn more about your options here or visit elections.ca.
An election worker will cross your name off the list of electors, indicating that you have voted and cannot vote again in the election. They will then give you a folded ballot.
You may request a list of candidates in large print or in braille if you'd like one. An election worker or a support person can help you mark your ballot, if needed.
Go behind the voting screen, mark your ballot and refold it to keep your vote secret. You can mark your ballot with the pencil provided, or you can bring your own pen or pencil.
Did you know?
Election workers must follow strict procedures to ensure the secrecy of the vote.
Ballots come in booklets with unique, sequential serial numbers to ensure that only ballots handled by election officers are deposited in the ballot box. On receiving a marked ballot, an election officer–without unfolding the ballot–examines its serial number to verify that the ballot is indeed the same one that was handed to the elector by the election officer. The elections officer removes the tab with the serial number and gives the ballot back to the elector to put in the ballot box.
There are tools that you can ask for to help you mark your ballot. These include:
Elections Canada's voting screens have no overhead cover. They let in maximum light so that you can read your ballot and voting instructions clearly!
Return your ballot to the election worker. They will remove the tab on your ballot that identifies you and give you back your ballot.
Put your ballot in the ballot box.
YouYou vote at your assigned polling station, based on where you live. Check your voter information card, use the online Voter Information Service or call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY) to find the date, hours and address of your assigned polling station.
All advance polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday the week before election day.
When you enter the building, follow the signs to the voting location.
When you get there, an election worker will greet you and show you to your polling station (voting service desk). You might have to wait while other voters are being served.
An election worker will ask you for your name and your proof of identity and address.
If you're not yet registered to vote, an election worker can assist you. They will help you fill out a form to register to vote.
An election worker will cross your name off the list of electors and give you a folded ballot.
You may request a list of candidates in large print if you'd like one. An election worker or a support person can help you mark your ballot, if needed.
Go behind the voting screen, mark your ballot and refold it to keep your vote secret. You can mark your ballot with the pencil provided, or you can bring your own pen or pencil.
Return your ballot to the election worker. They will remove the tab on your ballot that identifies you and give you back your ballot.
Put your ballot in the ballot box.
YouAfter a federal election is called, Elections Canada opens a local office in every riding across the country. Anyone who is eligible to vote can do so at an Elections Canada office. If you choose this voting option, you will vote by special ballot.
An Elections Canada office may be a more comfortable voting environment for electors who want to avoid lines or crowds.
You can vote at any Elections Canada office across the country.
Once an election is called, the addresses of the Elections Canada offices will be available online or by calling Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY).
You can vote at any Elections Canada office until the Tuesday before election day, 6 p.m. The offices are open throughout the election period, seven days a week. Hours of operation may vary.
Voting at a local Elections Canada office is different than voting on election day or advance polling days because you vote using the special ballot process.
An election worker will greet you and ask for your proof of identity and address. They will then add, update or confirm your information on the list of electors. They may ask you to verify it on the computer screen.
You can register or update your information only at the Elections Canada office in your riding. If you're visiting another office and would like to register or update your information, you must also vote by special ballot.
The election worker will help you complete an Application for Registration and Special Ballot. The election worker will then give you a ballot and instructions on voting. Depending on when you vote and whether you do so at your local Elections Canada office, you will get either a blank ballot (called a special ballot) or a regular ballot that lists the candidates.
You can ask for the list of candidates–in regular or large print–if you need it and it's available.
Go behind the voting screen in the office. If you are given a special ballot, you will need to write the first and last name of the candidate you want to vote for in the space provided. You do not have to write the name of the candidate's political party. However, if you write only the name of a political party, your vote won't be counted.
You can complete your ballot using the pencil provided, or you can bring your own pen or pencil. An election worker or a support person can help you complete your ballot, if needed.
Place your completed special ballot in the unmarked inner envelope provided and seal it. Then place the unmarked inner envelope in the outer envelope showing your information and seal it. Next, sign and date the declaration on the front of the outer envelope. Lastly, put the envelope in the ballot box.
YouElections Canada offices will be open on participating campuses across the country. Visit the Voter Information Service at elections.ca to find the one nearest you.
Vote on Campus offices will be open for four days, two weeks before election day.
Voting on campus is different than voting on election day or advance polling days because you vote using the special ballot process. Any elector can go to a Vote on Campus office to get information or to register and vote using the special ballot process.
An election worker will greet you and ask for your proof of identity and address. They will then add, update or confirm your information on the list of electors. They may ask you to verify it on the computer screen.
The election worker will help you complete an Application for Registration and Special Ballot. The election worker will then give you a ballot and instructions on voting.
You can ask for the list of candidates for your riding–in regular or large print–if you need it and it's available.
Go behind the voting screen in the office and write the first and last name of the candidate you want to vote for on your special ballot. You do not have to write the name of the candidate's political party. However, if you write only the name of a political party, your vote won't be counted.
You can complete your ballot using the pencil provided, or you can bring your own pen or pencil. An election worker or a support person can help you complete your ballot, if needed.
Place your completed special ballot in the unmarked inner envelope provided and seal it. Then place the unmarked inner envelope in the outer envelope showing your information and seal it. Next, sign and date the declaration on the front of the outer envelope. Lastly, put the envelope in the ballot box.
YouWhen you vote by mail, you vote by special ballot. Voting by special ballot is different than voting at advance polls or on election day.
After an election is called, anyone who is eligible to vote (a Canadian citizen, 18 years old on election day) can vote by mail. However, you must first apply for a special ballot and deadlines apply.
To learn more about voting by special ballot, visit elections.ca
You can vote by mail from anywhere, including if you:
The deadline to apply to vote by mail is the Tuesday before election day, 6 p.m.
Apply as soon as possible after an election is called, because you'll need enough time for your special ballot voting kit to arrive by mail and for you to return your completed ballot to Elections Canada by election day.
You can apply to vote by mail by requesting an Application for Registration and Special Ballot:
You will need to also provide proof of your identity and address when you apply.
Once you've applied to vote by mail, it's the only way you can vote in that election. You can't change your mind and vote at advance polls or on election day.
When Elections Canada accepts your application, you will receive a special ballot voting kit in the mail. The kit includes:
Your special ballot will be blank; it won't list the names of the candidates in your riding. You will need to write the first and last name of the candidate you're voting for.
The final list of candidates will only be available about three weeks before election day. If you already know who you're voting for, you can complete your ballot before then. If you aren't sure or prefer to wait until all the candidates in your riding are confirmed, you can wait until the final list is published.
You can find the names of the candidates in your riding on the Voter Information Service or by calling Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY). The list is updated regularly as candidates are confirmed, and the final list is published about three weeks before election day.
Write the first and last name of the candidate you want to vote for on your special ballot. If you write only the name of a political party, your vote won't be counted.
Place your completed special ballot in the unmarked inner envelope provided and seal it. Then place the unmarked inner envelope in the outer envelope showing your information and seal it. Lastly, sign and date the declaration on the front of the outer envelope.
Mail the special ballot to Elections Canada using the pre-addressed return envelope provided. Your completed special ballot must arrive at Elections Canada by the election day deadline, or it will not be counted.
Look at the return address for Elections Canada on your special ballot envelope.
You
Did you know?
When it's time to count the special ballots, an election worker will remove all the blank inner envelopes from the signed outer envelopes. The election worker will then put only the blank inner envelopes in the ballot box and mix them up. This way, no one can trace a ballot back to the voter, and their vote remains secret.