Elections Canada: Young Voters: Election Basics: Frequently Asked Questions |
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We get many questions from people of all ages. If you have questions about elections in Canada, chances are that you'll find the answers below.
I am a student and away from home. How do I vote? A student who lives away from home and is eligible to vote can be registered to vote in his or her parents' electoral district. However, you are not obliged to vote where your family resides. Your place of ordinary residence may be the place that you have adopted as home while you are at school, and you may choose to register and vote in that riding. As a student, once you have chosen your electoral district, you may vote by regular ballot at the polls, or by mail, using the special ballot. Remember that if you want to vote by mail, you must register for the special ballot; forms are available from Elections Canada once an election is called. For more information on voting by special ballot, please click here. Your vote is the way you choose someone to represent you in Canada's Parliament. By expressing your choice, you are exercising a democratic right that is key to the process of government that generations of Canadians have fought to build. For more information, see A History of the Vote in Canada. The vast majority of electors are registered in the National Register of Electors, which is used to produce the preliminary voters lists for federal elections, by-elections and referendums. If you voted in the last general election, you may be registered to vote at the address where you lived at that time. Elections Canada updates the Register from a number of sources, so if you have moved since then, your address change may also have been registered. If this is my first election, am I registered to vote? Each year, the Chief Electoral Officer writes to individuals who turn 18 to ask them to confirm that they are eligible to vote and that they consent to being included in the National Register of Electors. Elections Canada identifies new 18-year-olds through information transmitted for the Register by the Canada Revenue Agency, registrars of motor vehicles, and electoral data obtained from provincial and territorial organizations responsible for lists of electors. After you turned 18, you may have received a letter from the Chief Electoral Officer, asking you:
If you provided the information requested, you should be registered to vote, and you will receive a voter information card in the mail shortly after an election is called. If you do not receive a voter information card, or the information on it is incorrect, please get in touch with your returning officer right away to ensure you are registered to vote. If not, how do I register to vote? Simply contact Elections Canada at 1 800 463-6868 001 800 514-6868 (613) 993-2975 For people who are deaf or hard of hearing: Where can I view the list of MPs? The list of elected candidates can be found on the Parliamentary Web site. Who is my member of Parliament? For more information about your member of Parliament, please use one of the following searches available on the Parliamentary Web site. You can search for your member of Parliament by: If you do not know the name of your federal riding/electoral district, click here. Who are the party leaders in the House of Commons? You can find out who the leaders of the registered parties are and what parties are currently in the House of Commons. The names of the current Cabinet ministers can be found on the parliamentary Web site. Since 1974, political parties have had the option of registering with the Chief Electoral Officer. Registration offers political parties status under the Canada Elections Act and brings with it certain obligations and benefits. Click here for more information about this subject. Which political parties are registered? Click here for a complete list of registered parties, their leaders and their national headquarters addresses. This is an individual choice and Elections Canada cannot tell you for whom to vote. However, there is a wealth of information on this site, in newspapers and on the various party Web sites to help you make an informed decision. General election The date of a general election is set by the Governor in Council. According to section 4(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, "no House of Commons and no legislative assembly shall continue for longer than five years from the date fixed for the return of the writs of a general election of its members." For the January 23, 2006, general election, the return of the writs has been set for February 13, 2006. The next general election will be held within five years following this date, at the time set by the Governor in Council. By-elections When a seat in the House of Commons becomes officially vacant, the Speaker of the House must inform the Chief Electoral Officer immediately. Between the 11th and the 180th day after receiving notification, the Chief Electoral Officer issues a writ to the returning officer of the electoral district concerned, directing him or her to hold a by-election. The date on the writ is determined by the Governor in Council. How old do you have to be to vote? You must be 18 years of age to vote. Why does your Web site say that it is designed for 16- to 24-year-olds if you have to be 18 before you can vote? Yes, you need to be 18 years of age to vote. However, there is much to learn, and it's better to begin early. That way, when you're ready to vote, you will understand Canada's electoral system and be prepared. |
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