Backgrounders

National Register of Electors

The National Register of Electors is a database of Canadians who are qualified to vote. It contains basic information about each person – name, address, sex and date of birth. Canadians may choose whether or not to have their names listed in the Register.

The information in the National Register of Electors is used to produce the preliminary voters lists for federal elections, by-elections and referendums. It may also be used to produce voters lists for provinces, territories, municipalities and school boards that have signed agreements with Elections Canada, as permitted by the Canada Elections Act and provincial and territorial statutes.

Rationale and benefits

Before the creation of the National Register of Electors, new voters lists were created for each federal electoral event through door-to-door enumeration – an expensive, time-consuming and labour-intensive process. By replacing enumeration with a permanent computerized register, Elections Canada followed through on its commitment to a modern and efficient electoral process and improved service to electors. With the National Register of Electors, being registered to vote is simpler and easier for all electors. Sharing voters lists with provincial, territorial and municipal electoral agencies reduces duplication, results in higher quality lists of electors, and creates savings for taxpayers.

Privacy

• The privacy of all information in the National Register of Electors is protected by the Canada Elections Act and the Privacy Act.
  
• Information in the National Register of Electors can be used only for electoral purposes. Improper use of the information is an offence.
  
• Electronic and procedural safeguards have been put in place to ensure the security of elector information.
  
• The Privacy Commissioner has the right, at any time, to audit how information for the National Register of Electors is collected, stored, updated and used to ensure that the elector's right to privacy is respected.
  
• Under the law, the voters list is shared with registered political parties and members of the House of Commons each year, as well as with candidates during an electoral event. The information shared consists only of electors' names and addresses. By law, parties and members of the House of Commons may use this information for communicating with electors, such as in soliciting contributions and recruiting members. Improper use of the information contained in a voters list is an offence.
   
• Every elector has the right to exclude his or her name from the National Register of Electors or to prevent the transfer of his or her name to the provinces or territories by writing to the Chief Electoral Officer in Ottawa.

If an elector chooses not to be listed in the National Register of Electors, his or her right to vote is protected. However, at the time of a federal general election, by-election or referendum, such an elector will need to add his or her name to the voters list by registering at the office of the returning officer during the revision period, at an advance poll, or at an ordinary poll on election day.

Maintaining the National Register of Electors

About 17 percent of elector information changes every year. The National Register of Electors is updated with information (name, address, sex and date of birth) supplied by provincial, territorial and federal data sources between electoral events, and by electors themselves during federal electoral events. Elections Canada has signed agreements with data suppliers, including the Canada Revenue Agency, Canada Post Corporation, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, provincial and territorial registrars of motor vehicles and vital statistics, and provincial electoral agencies with permanent voters lists. Lists of electors from provincial and territorial elections are also used to update the Register. It is important to note that there is no database linkage between Elections Canada and these data suppliers.

Active consent

The principle of active, informed consent is applied to the National Register of Electors. Elections Canada will continue its programs to inform electors about their rights in relation to the National Register of Electors and to ensure that electors understand the importance of consent. Information from federal data suppliers will be transferred to Elections Canada only with the consent of the individuals concerned.

On its income tax returns, the Canada Revenue Agency includes a section that Canadian tax filers can check to have their name, address and date of birth forwarded to Elections Canada; in this way, their information can be updated in the National Register of Electors or added to the Register if not already in it. A similar section exists on Citizenship and Immigration's citizenship application forms so that new Canadians can give consent for their names to be added to the National Register of Electors. A consent mechanism also exists on Canada Post's Change of Address form.

For more information, please contact:

Elections Canada
257 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M6

Telephone

1 800 463-6868
toll-free in Canada and the United States

001 800 514-6868
toll-free in Mexico

(613) 993-2975
from anywhere in the world

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing:
TTY 1 800 361-8935
toll-free in Canada and the United States

Fax

(613) 954-8584
1 888 524-1444
toll-free in Canada and the United States

This publication is available in alternative formats.

October 2006