Visit elections.ca for the official information you need to vote
1-800-463-6868 / elections.ca / TTY 1-800-361-8935
This handbook contains all the basic information on when, where and the ways to register and vote in a federal election. It also has specific information for First Nations, Inuit and Métis electors.
There are many products you can use to spread the word about a federal election, including:
*Available in braille, large print and DAISY formats (English and French only), as well as 17 Indigenous languages: Atikamekw, Blackfoot, Dene, Gwich'in, Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, Innu (Montagnais), Michif, Mi'kmaq, Mohawk, Moose Cree, Nisga'a, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, Plains Cree, Saulteaux and Stoney.
Visit elections.ca to download resources or call 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY) to request printed copies.
Headed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency of Parliament. Its primary task is to be prepared at all times to deliver a federal general election, by-election or referendum.
In a federal election, Canadians vote to elect a member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. MPs debate and pass laws on Canadians' behalf.
One MP represents the people of one riding. There are currently 343 ridings in Canada.
Candidates can represent a political party, or they can be independent, meaning they have no association with a political party. After all the votes are counted for each riding, the political party with the most MPs in the House of Commons usually forms the government. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister of Canada.
Over 200,000 Canadians across the country are hired during an election. The jobs are paid and training is provided.
Anyone interested in being an election worker can learn more and apply online at elections.ca/jobs.
Elections Canada hires Indigenous Elders and youth to offer a welcoming presence and help electors navigate the voting process at the polls.
Applicants must send their resumé and cover letter to the returning officer for the riding (electoral district). They can find information about electoral districts using the online Voter Information Service at elections.ca.
The length of employment and deadline to apply will vary by position. Please ask the returning officer for more details.
Note: Like all election workers, Indigenous Elders and youth may not take part in any partisan political activities during their term of employment with Elections Canada.
To vote in a federal election, electors must be registered. Most Canadians who are eligible to vote are already registered, but they may not be if they've recently moved or become a Canadian citizen, or never voted before.
All registered electors will get a voter information card in the mail about two weeks before election day. It tells them where and when they can vote as well as the accessibility of their assigned polling station. Electors can also register in person at their assigned polling station when they go to vote.
An elector's place of residence or home address is where they ordinarily live, where they think of as home or have adopted as home. Once they have confirmed their place of residence, they must have ID with that address to register and vote. Please see the full list of accepted ID for proof of address.
If an elector leaves home temporarily (for school, work or any other reason) but intends to return to it, it can remain their place of residence.
Once they've decided on their place of residence, they must bring ID with that address when they go to register and vote.
To register or update their address online, electors can use the Online Voter Registration Service at elections.ca. If they register online, they may be asked for the number from:
To register in person, electors will need to bring accepted ID with them. After an election is called, they can register and vote in person at:
To find the addresses for these locations or view the list of accepted ID, visit elections.ca.
To register by mail, electors can call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY) and ask for a form to be sent to them by mail.
Electors can vote almost any time during the election period.
They may choose the voting option that works best for them.
Electors' assigned polling stations will be open for 12 hours (hours vary by time zone).
Electors' assigned advance polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday the week before election day.
Mobile advance polls will visit some remote, isolated and low-density communities. (During the four-day advance voting period, these polls are set up for less than four days, based on the size of the community and its needs.)
Electors can go to any Elections Canada office by the Tuesday before election day, 6 p.m. They will vote using the special ballot process. After the election is called, electors may visit elections.ca or call us to find the office nearest them.
For information about the accessibility of any Elections Canada office, call 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY).
Elections Canada Vote on Campus offices will be open on participating campuses across the country for four days about two weeks before election day. Any eligible elector can vote at a Vote on Campus location.
After the election has been called, Canadian electors anywhere in the world may apply to vote by mail.
How:
Electors should apply as soon as possible to allow enough time for their special ballot voting kit to reach them and for them to return their completed ballot to Elections Canada by election day.
Once electors apply to vote by mail, they can't change their mind and vote at advance polls or on election day.
If electors have any questions about the voting process, they can call 1-800-463-6868 or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY), or reach out to their local Elections Canada office.
To answer questions from electors who do not speak English or French, Elections Canada works closely with CanTalk, a real-time language interpretation service available in multiple Indigenous languages.
When an elector who does not speak English or French calls Elections Canada, we connect with CanTalk to request simultaneous interpretation services. Visit cantalk.com/our-languages to see the list of available languages.
If an interpreter is not available at the time of the call, CanTalk will suggest a time for a callback. Interpretation services are subject to availability. The more notice given, the more likely interpretation services can be provided, as interpreters can be contacted ahead of time.
Election workers are there to help. If an elector needs anything to make their voting experience easier, they can speak to an election worker when they go to vote. For example, they can:
When it's time to count the special ballots, the election worker will remove all the unmarked inner envelopes from their signed outer envelopes. The election worker will then return only the unmarked inner envelopes to the ballot box and mix them up. This way, no ballot can be traced back to the person who cast it and their vote remains secret.
Electors have three options to prove their identity and address when they go to vote.
Option 1
Show one ID card issued by a Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial or local) with their photo, name and current address. For example: their driver's licence.
Option 2
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Show two pieces of ID. Both must have their name and at least one must have their current address. Electors can also use their voter information card as proof of address if their name and address are correct on the card. They will still need to bring one other piece of ID with their name, for example, a band membership card, Métis card or card issued by an Inuit local authority.
Option 3
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If an elector doesn't have ID documents, they can still vote if they declare their identity and address in writing and have someone who knows them and who is assigned to their polling station vouch for them.
The voucher must be able to prove their identity and address. A person can vouch for only one person (except in long-term care facilities).
Some electors may have difficulty proving their address. If they live at or receive services from one of the following designated establishments, they can ask for a letter of confirmation of residence, letter of stay, admission form or statement of benefits:
*Only if the establishment provides food service.
We will also accept a letter of confirmation from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee.
If an elector needs to use a letter of confirmation of residence, they should contact the establishment as soon as possible after the election is called. The establishment may issue a letter of confirmation on its official letterhead or use the Elections Canada template Letter of Confirmation of Residence, available at elections.ca.
The elector will still need to show a second piece of ID with their name.
All electors are assigned a polling station for election day and advance polling days. Once the election is called, electors can make sure their assigned polling stations meet their accessibility needs by:
Elections Canada also welcomes Video Relay Service (VRS) calls. Visit srvcanadavrs.ca to learn more.
If an elector's assigned polling station doesn't meet their accessibility needs, or if they live in a community where there is no polling station within a reasonable distance from their home, they should call their local Elections Canada office or 1-800-361-8935 (TTY). We will help them find an alternate polling station or discuss other ways they may be able to vote.
More information about the accessibility criteria used to select polling stations is available at elections.ca.
To request voting assistance in advance, including language and sign language interpretation, electors must call the Elections Canada office in their riding by the Tuesday before election day, 6 p.m. The number can be found:
Electors can also bring an interpreter to help them vote. Interpreters need to make a written declaration, may assist more than one elector, and do not have to be an eligible elector.
For all the official information on voting, electors may visit elections.ca. The website is fully accessible and has voting information in multiple languages, including American Sign Language and Quebec Sign Language. Electors can also order products in other formats, including large print, braille and DAISY.
We offer many tools and services to make voting in the federal election easier. If an elector requires assistance during the voting process, they can call Elections Canada, visit any Elections Canada office across the country, or speak to an election worker when they go to vote.
Note: Braille lists of candidates are available only on election day. Large print is available on advance polling days and on election day.
If an elector has trouble marking their ballot, they can bring someone to help them or ask an election worker for help. The helper must make a written declaration that they will respect the secrecy of the vote. The helper does not need to be an eligible elector. Electors do not need to use an "x" to mark their ballot. They can use any other mark, as long as it clearly indicates their choice and does not identify them in any way.
Electors are also welcome to have other assistance when they vote. This could include bringing their service animal or using an assistive device, such as a mobile device or smartphone.
Through the Indigenous Elders and Youth program, Indigenous electors can receive interpretation services and assistance with the voting process on advance polling days and on election day.
This service is offered at polling places that primarily serve Indigenous electors and is subject to the availability of participants. Since the 2019 federal election, we have expanded our efforts to increase participation in this program.
Elders and youth are not allowed to go behind the voting screen to help an elector. If an elector cannot mark the ballot because they are unable to read or because of a disability, the deputy returning officer may assist them behind the voting screen.
There are safeguards built into the federal electoral process at every stage to protect the integrity of elections.
Elections Canada, security agencies, the Commissioner of Canada Elections, political parties, candidates and electors all have a role to play in ensuring the integrity of an election. Elections Canada's role includes administering federal elections and overseeing the safeguards in the voting process.
Elections Canada makes security a foundational part of every new IT system and process we develop.
Elections Canada works with security agencies to share information and discuss our distinct and complementary roles, responsibilities and protocols.
Elections Canada continually updates the National Register of Electors, using data from over 40 sources, including from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Before voting, electors must prove their identity and address.
The voting and counting processes are fully observed by witnesses, including candidates and parties' representatives. Election workers count paper ballots in front of witnesses.
Potential contraventions of the Canada Elections Act are referred to the Commissioner of Canada Elections. The Commissioner can receive complaints from the public in English, French and other languages.
Ballots are counted by trained and paid election workers, in the presence of candidates, candidates' representatives or other designated observers.
Before the count, election workers close the doors of the voting place. No one is allowed to enter or leave.
The election officer who counts the votes then:
To ensure transparency, with many people watching, they unfold each ballot and say aloud the name marked on each ballot.
Staff tally up the votes, record the tallies on paper and report the totals to the returning officer (the official who manages the election for that electoral district).
We welcome electors' feedback on their voting experience, including on accessible tools and services. To let us know how we're doing, electors can: