elections.ca Frequently Asked Questions FAQ For Electors : Canada

Organisation : Elections Canada
Facility : Frequently Asked Questions FAQ For Electors
Country : Canada

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ For Electors : http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=vote&document=index&lang=e#election
Home page : http://www.elections.ca/home.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ For Electors :
What is my electoral district?
** Canada is divided into 308 electoral districts (338 as of the 2015 general election).
** One representative, or member of Parliament (MP), is elected for each electoral district.
** Each electoral district has a returning officer, who opens an office when an electoral event is called.
** The returning officer is responsible for organizing and administering federal elections and referendums within that electoral district.
** You can find the name of your riding on this site by going to the Voter Information Service (type your postal code or search another way).

How many electoral districts are there in Canada?
There are 308 electoral districts in Canada (338 as of the 2015 general election).

How do I make a complaint about a violation of the Canada Elections Act?
If you have information about a possible violation of the Canada Elections Act, please write to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections.

How do I file a general complaint or give feedback on the conduct of a federal election?
** To provide feedback on the conduct of an election, an election worker or another general matter, please use the online complaint form.
** The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (Elections Canada) handles complaints that are not believed to be violations of the Canada Elections Act.

How do I make a complaint about a misleading or inappropriate phone call?
Electors may get live or recorded phone calls (“robocalls”). If you believe you have received a call that was misleading or inappropriate, please write to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections.

Do you have material for schools?
** Yes, Elections Canada offers two election simulation kits for schools.
** They provide a realistic experience of voting, based on actual federal election procedures.
** The kit Canada at the Polls! is intended for Grades 5 and up.
** Choosing our Mascot is for younger children, kindergarten to Grade 4.
** Both are available on this Web site.

How do I order school materials?
You may order school materials:
** through the Elections Canada Web site
** by phone, at 1 800 463-6868
by writing to:
** Elections Canada
** 30 Victoria Street
** Gatineau, Quebec
** K1A 0M6

Basics :
Do I have to be registered in order to vote?
Yes. Here’s how to register.

Am I already registered to vote?
** Check online to see if you’re registered to vote in federal elections.
** If you can’t check online, you can call us to ask if you’re registered.
** Most eligible voters are already registered in the National Register of Electors, the permanent database of Canadians qualified to vote in federal elections.

How do I register to vote?
To register to vote in future federal elections:
** Register online – Most people can register online by providing the number from their driver’s licence or provincial ID card to confirm their identity.
** Register by mail – Contact us to request a registration form. We’ll send the form by mail, e-mail or fax. Complete the form, sign it and return it by mail, along with a copy of your proof of identity and address.
After an election is called, you can also register at your local Elections Canada office or at your polling place when you go to vote.

How do I update my address on my voter registration?
** Update your address online, using the online voter registration service.
** If you cannot update your address through the online service, contact us to request a registration form.
** We’ll send the form by mail, e-mail or fax. Complete the form, sign it and return it by mail, along with a copy of your proof of identity and address.

How do I make changes to my voter registration information?
** To update your address, use the online service or contact us to request a registration form
** To change your name or make other kinds of registration updates, please contact us to request a registration form.
** We’ll send the form by mail, e-mail or fax.
** Complete the form, sign it and return it by mail, along with a copy of your proof of identity and address.

I moved recently. Am I still registered to vote?
** If you were registered before you moved, you are likely still registered. However, you may need to update your address.
** Check online to see if you are registered at your current address or learn how to update your address.
** It’s possible we received your new address from another source, like the Canada Revenue Agency or your provincial or territorial driver’s licence agency or elections agency. We use several sources to update voter registration information.

If I register by mail, what types of identity documents are accepted?
If you register by mail, you must include a photocopy of your proof of identity and address document(s). We accept:
** a copy of any document showing your name, address and signature (e.g. driver’s licence), or
copies of two documents:
** one showing your name and address (e.g. telephone bill), and
** one showing your name and signature (e.g. health card or library card).
If some of the information appears on the back of the document(s), you must photocopy both sides.

If I register online, what types of identity documents are accepted?
If you register online, you must provide the number from:
** your driver’s licence (from any province or territory except Quebec*), or
** your provincial or territorial ID card (from Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan or Yukon).

The online service accepts numbers from these cards because we have data sharing agreements in place with these sources. If you do not have one of the cards accepted online, you can register by mail.

*In Quebec, driver’s licence data is reflected in the information Elections Canada receives from the Directeur général des élections du Québec.

Maintaining voter registration information :
How does Elections Canada keep voter registrations accurate and up to date?
We keep voter registration information in a database called the National Register of Electors, which we update regularly using information from several sources. The National Register of Electors has a high level of coverage and currency. As of November 2014, it included 92% of all electors, and 84% of those were registered at their current address.

People who register or update their registration must affirm that the information they provide is current and correct. Under the Canada Elections Act, it’s illegal to make false statements about voter registration information, and those convicted face penalties.

As a final check before voters may cast their ballots, polling place staff ask them to prove their identity and home address. The information on the voter’s proof of identity and home address must match the information on the voters list. If there is an omission or error on the voters list, the voter can request a correction.

What is the National Register of Electors?
The National Register of Electors (the Register) is the permanent database of Canadians aged 18 and older who are qualified to vote in federal elections and referendums. Created in 1997, the Register is continually updated using federal, provincial and territorial administrative and electoral data sources. Elections Canada uses information from the National Register of Electors to produce voters lists (lists of electors).

Can I opt out of the National Register of Electors and keep my right to vote?
Yes. Learn more about opting out of the National Register of Electors.

What is a voters list (list of electors)?
A voters list (list of electors) shows all of the people who are registered to vote in a particular polling division (area within a riding). Voters lists are based on information in the National Register of Electors, the permanent database of Canadians aged 18 and older who are qualified to vote in federal elections and referendums.

When you go to your polling place to vote, staff ask for your proof of identity and home address and look you up on the voters list.
** If you’re on the voters list and the information matches what’s shown on your proof of identity and home address, you may vote right away.
** If you’re on the voters list but there is an error in the information listed, you can show your proof of identity and home address, ask for a correction, then vote.
** If you’re not on the voters list but can prove your identity and home address, you may register on site, then vote.

Note: You must vote at the polling place set up for your polling division, the specific part of the riding where your home is located. During elections, the Voter Information Service will tell you exactly where to vote, based on your home address. Your voter information card will also tell you when and where to vote.

Do you share voter registration information with other agencies or groups?
Yes. Elections Canada provides voter registration information from the National Register of Electors – name, address, date of birth, gender and unique identifier number – to most provincial and territorial elections agencies (exceptions are Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon), and with some municipalities, upon request and where data sharing agreements exist. Elections Canada agreements include conditions on data use. Sharing voter registration information improves the accuracy of voters lists, makes it easier for people to vote, and saves taxpayer money. Learn more about how we share voter registration information with other elections agencies.

As required by the Canada Elections Act, we also provide voters lists (containing name, address and unique identifier number) to political candidates, members of Parliament and registered political parties, who may use the information for specific, authorized purposes. The Guidelines on Use of the Lists of Electors explain what information is shared with MPs, parties and candidates, when it is shared, and how they are authorized to use it.

If I update my voter registration with Elections Canada, will the update be sent to my provincial, territorial or municipal elections agency?

It may be, after a delay. Elections Canada shares voter registration information – name, address, date of birth, gender and unique identifier number – with the elections agencies in most provinces and territories and with some municipalities, upon request. There is often a delay of several weeks or months before the voter information is sent and gets reflected in the respective provincial, territorial and municipal voters lists.

If your province or territory is having an election (or is about to have one), please contact your provincial or territorial elections agency directly to register or update your registration. Likewise, if there is an upcoming election in your municipality, please contact your municipality directly.

My loved one passed away. How do I cancel their voter registration?
To cancel the voter registration of a deceased person (remove their name from the voters list), please contact Elections Canada. We will walk you through the steps.

Elections Canada receives notices of deaths from most provincial and territorial vital statistics agencies, the Canada Revenue Agency, and provincial elections agencies with permanent voters lists. We use this information to remove the names of the deceased from federal voters lists.