Voting is an important civic duty. To vote in a federal election, you must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old on election day and registered to vote.
There are several ways to vote:
- Vote on election day
- Vote on advance polling days
- Vote at any Elections Canada office
- Vote by mail
In-person voting at polling stations is the most common way to vote. On average, Elections Canada has 20,000 polling stations across Canada during an election.
Video: A look back at the 2019 Federal Election
The voting process
Everyone votes in secret. They have the right to choose their preferred candidate free of anyone else’s influence.
- To vote, people must show proof of their identity and address.
- Each voter gets a ballot from an election officer.
- The voter takes the ballot behind a voting screen and marks an X beside the name of their chosen candidate.
- The voter places their ballot in a ballot box.
Did you know? There are many tools and services, such as magnifiers and large-grip pencils, to help make the vote accessible to all.