Frequently Asked Questions
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What changes does Bill C-9 make to the Canada Election Act? During a general election, a political party that nominates a confirmed candidate in at least 12 electoral districts will now be able to appear on the ballot, under the name of the candidate it is nominating. Such a party will also be able to appear on the ballot in future by-elections if it meets the eligibility criteria. Previously, only the names of registered parties could appear on the ballot. In order to obtain or maintain the status of registered party, a party must nominate a confirmed candidate in at least 50 electoral districts during a general election. When Bill C-9 received royal assent on June 14, 2001, it introduced these amendments to the Canada Elections Act. It also gives explanations and clarifications on various technicalities. Results of the 2000 general election The preliminary results of the 2000 general election are available on this Web site. Click here. Results of the 1997 general election The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada is required by law to publish a report of the poll-by-poll voting results, together with any other appropriate information, after all federal elections, by-elections and referendums. The results of the June 2, 1997, general election are published in 36th General Election 1997: Official Voting Results, available on CD-ROM or diskette. You can order it in the Publications section. The 36th General Election 1997: Official Voting Results: Synopsis is available on this Web site. Where can I view the list of MPs? The list of elected candidates can be found on the Parliamentary Web site. When will the poll-by-poll results be available? The official voting results of the general election for each polling division will be published on the Elections Canada Web site in March 2001. What happens after an election? After the polls close, every deputy returning officer counts the votes for his or her polling station, assisted by the poll clerk and witnessed by the candidates or their representatives. These preliminary results are published on the Web site. The deputy returning officer records the number of votes received by each candidate and the number of rejected ballots on a Statement of the Vote. The ballots and other election documents are then sealed in the ballot box and delivered to the returning officer. Validation of the results Every returning officer will validate the results for his or her riding by December 4, by adding the totals given on each Statement of the Vote. The returning officer then delivers a certificate announcing the validated results to the candidates. On the seventh day after the validation (by December 11 if there is no recount), he or she writes the name of the candidate who has received the most votes on the election writ, signs the writ and returns it to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Judicial recounts A judicial recount occurs automatically if the two leading candidates receive the same number of votes after the validation, or if they are separated by less than one one-thousandth of the total votes cast in the electoral district. Any elector may ask a judge to carry out a judicial recount within four days of the validation of the results, with a $250 deposit and an affidavit that the count was improperly carried out, ballot papers were improperly rejected or the returning officer carried out the validation improperly. If the two leading candidates still have the same number of votes after the recount, a by-election will be held for that electoral district. As soon as the returning officer receives the judge's certificate stating the results of the judicial recount, and if there is no tie vote, he or she writes the name of the winning candidate on the election writ and returns the writ to the Chief Electoral Officer. How and when do MPs take office? Once the Chief Electoral Officer receives a writ of election from a returning officer, declaring the winning candidate for that riding, he publishes a notice in the Canada Gazette and sends a letter of confirmation to the Clerk of the House of Commons, making the election of that candidate official. Only after this has happened may the candidate be sworn in as an MP. How many seats did each party hold before the election? At the dissolution of Parliament, the seat distribution in the House of Commons was:
When are the financial reports due Every registered political party is required to submit to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada an audited return of its election expenses within six months of election day – that is, by May 27, 2001. Registered political parties must also submit an annual fiscal period return; the next annual returns are due by June 30, 2001. Candidates must submit audited returns of their election expenses and contributions to the returning officers of their electoral districts within four months of election day – that is, by March 27, 2001. Registered third parties must report on their election advertising expenses to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada within four months of election day – that is, by March 27, 2001. Who is entitled to vote? You are entitled to vote in federal elections and referendums if you are a Canadian citizen, and will be 18 or older on polling day. See also section 3 of the Canada Elections Act. If you are an elector (a person who is eligible to vote) and have been living away from Canada for less than five consecutive years since your last visit home, you are eligible to vote under The Special Voting Rules. You can register to vote at any time – just click here. Incarcerated electors who are serving a prison sentence of less than two years in a Canadian correctional institution, have the right to vote in federal elections and referendums. For details, see Voting by Incarcerated Electors. Can a person who is homeless vote? Yes, an elector who is homeless or without a fixed address can vote, if he or she registers on the voters list during an election. To register, the elector must provide proof of identity and the address where he or she is staying. Proof of identity can be an official document bearing the elector’s name and signature. For residence, the address of a local shelter is acceptable, if the elector slept there in the last 24 hours. Without such proof, a person who is homeless can register on election day by taking the prescribed oath as to identity and residence, as long as another voter who is registered in the same electoral district can vouch for that person. What is my electoral district? Canada is divided into 301 electoral districts. 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 either by inputting your postal code or in other ways. Click here. How many electoral districts are there in Canada? There are 301 electoral districts in Canada. How do I register a complaint? To register a complaint about an alleged offence under the Canada Elections Act, you must send a letter within six months of the commission of the alleged offence to:
To register a complaint about an election officer, you must send your complaint to:
How does someone become a candidate in an election? The right to be a candidate in a federal election is written into the Constitution of Canada. Any Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years of age when filing nomination papers may be a candidate in an election, unless he or she is specifically disqualified under the Canada Elections Act (see section 4). A candidate may run as a representative of a registered political party, or as an "independent," or may choose to have no affiliation appearing on the ballot. For further details, see Part 6, sections 65-92 of the Canada Elections Act, the backgrounder on Important Considerations for Prospective Candidates, and the Election Handbook for Candidates, Their Official Agents and Auditors. Is the candidate's deposit refundable? The candidate's nomination deposit of $ 1000 is refunded in full, if reporting requirements are met, even if the candidate withdraws. The refund of the deposit no longer depends on the number of votes that the candidate receives. If a candidate is not confirmed by the returning officer, he or she also receives a full refund. Must candidates report contributions? Candidates must report all campaign contributions over $200. The report must include the names, class and addresses of all donors who gave over $200, including donors who gave their contributions through an electoral district association or through the candidate's trust fund established for the election. If the donor is a numbered company, the name of its chief executive officer or president must be provided. Are there any changes to the tax credit for political contributions? Under amendments to the Income Tax Act made in 2000, you will receive a 75 percent tax credit for political donations on the first $200 instead of the first $100. For more details on changes to tax credits, please refer to section 560 of the Canada Elections Act. What is a third party? A third party is defined as a person or group, other than a candidate, registered party or electoral district association of a registered party, that engages in election advertising. Third parties must apply to the Chief Electoral Officer to be registered after the writs are issued, and once they have incurred $500 in election advertising expenses. What are the rules for third parties? Third parties must observe the spending limits for election advertising: they may spend up to $3 000 per riding, and up to $150 000 in total during a general election (these amounts are adjusted for inflation). Third parties must also submit financial reports showing contributions and advertising expenses to the Chief Electoral Officer. For more information, see the backgrounder, Third Party Election Advertising. Why should I vote? 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 democratic process of government that generations of Canadians have fought to build. For more information, see A History of the Vote in Canada.
Elections Canada is the non-partisan agency responsible
for conducting federal elections, Who is the Chief Electoral Officer? The Chief Electoral Officer is Jean-Pierre Kingsley, who was appointed in 1990. The Chief Electoral Officer is head of Elections Canada. Click here for more information about this subject. What does the Chief Electoral Officer do? The Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for managing elections, referendums, and other aspects of our electoral system under the provisions of the Canada Elections Act, the Referendum Act, and the Electoral Boundaries Redistribution Act. Click here for more information about this subject. To whom does Elections Canada report? Elections Canada comes under the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer, who reports directly to the House of Commons through the Speaker. Who calls elections? The Governor in Council formally calls the election and instructs the Chief Electoral Officer to issue the writs for an election. How much did the last general election cost? The cost of the 1997 general election was $129.2 million. The cost of the final door-to-door enumeration, which was conducted outside the 1997 general election period, was $71.4 million. The combined cost of the enumeration and election were $200.6 million. Am I registered to vote? 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. How is the Register updated? The Register is updated using the following sources:
I recently moved. Am I still registered to vote? If you have recently moved, your name will still be registered, but you may need to update your address. Elections Canada updates the National Register of Electors from a number of sources, so your address may have been updated already. I'm a new citizen. How do I register to vote? As a new citizen, you should have completed the application for citizenship through Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You are registered to vote if you checked off the consent box on the application, consenting to be added to the Register. You will receive no further confirmation. Can I still vote if I checked "no" on my tax form? Yes, you can still vote if you checked "no" on your tax form. A "no" on the tax form does not remove your name from the National Register of Electors. The purpose of this box is to ask permission to update addresses and record name changes only. If you voted in the 1997 general election, you will still be listed in the National Register of Electors. If you have moved since then, you may have to update your address to make sure your name appears on the voters list at your new location. Can I register to vote while I'm away from Canada? Electors who will be away from Canada on election day or during the advance polls can register to vote by special mail-in ballot. For details, see the backgrounder, Voting by Special Ballot, where you will find information on eligibility, how to register and how to vote. How do military personnel vote? Military personnel vote under the Special Voting Rules. If you have completed a Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR), you will receive a special ballot voting kit after an election is called. Once you have voted, it is your responsibility to ensure your ballot arrives in Ottawa by 6:00 p.m., Ottawa time, on polling day. You may mail the ballot yourself, or, in most cases, you will have the option of leaving it with the deputy returning officer on the base to forward by special arrangement. For more information, see the backgrounder, Voting by Special Ballot or the backgrounder, Voting by Special Ballot for Canadian Forces Electors. What is a Statement of Ordinary Residence? Upon joining the Canadian Forces, a member completes a form called the Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR). The address given on this form determines the riding for which your vote is counted. Once you have completed the SOR, you do not have to register to vote by special ballot. You will automatically receive a special ballot voting kit during an election. How do I change my Statement of Ordinary Residence? You may change your Statement of Ordinary Residence (SOR) at any time. It's easy to do.
I'm currently serving a prison sentence. Can I vote? When? How? If you are serving a prison sentence of less than two years, you have the right to vote in federal elections and referendums. If you are serving a sentence of two years or more, you do not have the right to vote. Incarcerated electors vote by special ballot after registering. A liaison officer, appointed by the provincial minister for corrections, looks after the registration and voting process. For more information, see the backgrounder, Voting by Special Ballot. Do you have material for schools? Yes, Elections Canada has the Canada at the Polls! kit. This is an election simulation kit, which includes a ballot box, a voting screen, a poster, and two videos. Elections Canada asks that schools store the election simulation kit in a central area, such as a resource centre or the school library, so that the whole school can share it. The kits may be photocopied and used over and over again. Also available are Choosing Our Mascot, an election simulation kit for younger children (kindergarten to grade 4), and an interactive CD-ROM, Exploring Canada's Electoral System. How do I order school materials? You may order school materials:
Who is my member of Parliament? The names of members of Parliament, by province and territory, and by riding, can be found on the parliamentary Web site. 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 political parties are and what parties are currently in the House of Commons. Who is the minister for…? The names of the current Cabinet ministers can be found on the parliamentary Web site. What is a registered political party? 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 political parties, their leaders and their national headquarters addresses. What is the standing of the parties in the House of Commons? The standing of registered political parties in the House of Commons can be found on the Elections Canada Web site. Where can I find financial information on political parties or candidates? Click here for detailed financial information on political parties and candidates. Is it possible to obtain a tax credit for a contribution to a registered political party or candidate? Yes. In accordance with subsection 127(3) of the Income Tax Act, taxpayers may deduct from the tax otherwise payable a percentage of their monetary contributions to a registered party or officially nominated candidate, up to a maximum of $500. The allowable deduction is calculated as follows: a) 75% of the first $200 in contributions; b) 50% of the next $350; c) 33 1/3% of the contributions above $550; up to a maximum of $500. A duly completed receipt must be included with the tax return for every contribution included in the total. The receipt must be signed by a registered officer of the registered party or the official agent of the officially nominated candidate, as the case may be. This applies for the 2000 tax year. Why are local riding associations not required to file financial reports with Elections Canada? Riding associations, or electoral district associations, are not subject to the Canada Elections Act. Can I vote in the federal election if I am a British citizen? No. In 1970, amendments to the Canada Elections Act restricted the right to vote to Canadian citizens, although British subjects eligible to vote as of June 25, 1968, kept their right to vote until 1975. How do third party spending limits apply to the 2000 general election? The Supreme Court of Canada suspended the injunction against the application and enforcement of the spending limits on November 10, 2000. The effect of the decision is the reinstatement, as of the date of the decision, of the spending limits on third parties for the remainder of the November 27, 2000, election. The following interpretation is intended to assist you in making decisions with respect to third party spending. The applicable provisions of the Act read as follows: 319. ... "election advertising" means the transmission to the public by any means during an election period of an advertising message that promotes or opposes a registered party or the election of a candidate, including one that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated. ... 349. ... "election advertising expense" means an expense incurred in relation to
350. (1) A third party shall not incur election advertising expenses of a total amount of more than $150 000 during an election period in relation to a general election. (2) Not more than $3 000 of the total amount referred to in subsection (1) shall be incurred to promote or oppose the election of one or more candidates in a given electoral district .... When the injunction was in force, that is from October 23 to November 10, there was no limit on third party expenses related to the transmission of election advertising. According to the Chief Electoral Officer's November 10 press release, Elections Canada will not apply the spending limits on third party election advertising between October 22 and November 10, 2000. Nevertheless, all transmission costs of election advertising messages transmitted after November 10 are subject to the indexed expenses limits, which are $152 550, in total, and $3 051 per electoral district. |
