Young Canadians who want to know more about how our democracy works ask us some good questions. Below, we’ve listed the most common questions we get from high school students, along with our answers.
How does Elections Canada keep our elections secure?
From voter registration to the counting of ballots—and everything in between—each step of the electoral process has various safeguards in place. Here are some of the safeguards that keep our elections safe and secure:
- ballots have several security features, such as a specific colour of paper and a unique serial number that allows election workers to make sure ballots are not switched
- voters must prove their identity and address when they go to vote
- after someone has voted, the poll clerk crosses their name off the voters list so they can’t vote again
- once voting is done, election workers must go through a series of steps to count the ballots; observers may watch the votes be counted
- ballots are kept in storage so they can be recounted if the results are close or disputed
In addition to the safeguards at the polls, Elections Canada monitors social media before and during a federal election to detect false and misleading information that could affect voters’ ability to register or vote. The agency also works closely with national security agencies to protect our elections from cyberthreats.
Check it out: For more information on safeguards in the electoral process, visit the Elections Canada website. The ElectoFacts tool can help you check if what you see online about federal elections is true or not.
Why are some boundaries or names of ridings changing?
Canada’s population is always changing. People move around, babies are born, some communities grow and others shrink. That means our electoral districts, or ridings, need to change, too. This redistribution happens every 10 years, after the census. The latest redistribution process ended in September 2023.
Ridings are created by independent electoral boundaries commissions in each province, not by Elections Canada. Drawing a riding can be complicated. Commissions must consider many factors when creating or adjusting ridings, including:
- population size
- a community’s shared culture and identity
- the history of the riding
- total area and geography
Because of this, every riding is unique. The largest riding in terms of total area is Nunavut, which measures nearly 2 million km2. The smallest riding is Toronto Centre at only 6 km2.
Currently, there are 338 ridings in Canada. New electoral districts will come into effect for a general election that is on or after April 23, 2024. Enter your postal code on the Elections Canada website to find your riding.
Check it out: Try dividing an imaginary country into fair electoral districts, considering both human and physical geography, in the activity, Mapping Electoral Districts.
Are there other ways to vote if someone can’t get to the polls on election day?
Sometimes voters know they will be busy or out of town on election day, and that’s okay. There are several different ways to cast a ballot.
- They can vote at advance polls.
- They can vote at an Elections Canada office.
- They can vote by mail.
Check it out: Visit Ways to Vote to learn more about the different voting options available before election day.
How can I work at the next election?
There are more than 200,000 jobs available during a federal election. That means that on election day, Elections Canada is the largest employer in the country!
If you are a Canadian citizen who is at least 16 years old on election day, you are encouraged to apply. There are jobs available in every corner of Canada. They are not volunteer jobs. All positions are paid (including training).
If you are hired, you will learn first-hand the procedures of a fair election, how voters prove their identity and the importance of neutrality in an election process. This experience will look great on your resumé and will allow you to give back to your community.
Since election day falls on a school day, apply to work at advance polls on weekends to avoid missing class time.
Working at an election does not affect your right to vote if you are eligible. Only one Canadian citizen over 18 is not allowed to vote: the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.
Check it out: Students can visit Elections Canada’s Employment page to learn about jobs available during an election and to apply.
Why can’t people under 18 vote?
Voting age is determined by Parliament, which revisits this topic from time to time. In fact, the voting age used to be 21!
Here are some arguments that some people have made for lowering the voting age to 16:
- sixteen-year-olds are considered responsible enough to drive a vehicle
- they can work and some pay taxes, so they should have a say in how their tax dollars are spent
- voting for the first time while they’re still in school will encourage young people to be lifelong voters
Those who are against lowering the voting age argue that:
- sixteen-year-olds are still minors and do not have full responsibilities as citizens
- they are still learning and developing the judgment that will help them exercise their right to vote
- young people (18- to 24-year-olds) vote in far lower numbers than the rest of the population; lowering the age even further would lower the overall participation rate and weaken our democracy
Talk about it: Do you think 16- and 17-year-olds should have the right to vote? Would you vote if you were allowed to?
Check it out: Learn more about the history of voting rights in the resource, Voting Rights through Time, which includes a case study on youth and the right to vote.
Young people are the future of our country, but they vote in lower numbers than people in other age groups. What is Elections Canada doing to get more youth to vote?
Elections Canada is committed to making voting more accessible to all Canadians, including youth. Here are a few steps that Elections Canada has taken to make voting easier for young people:
- offering education programs for elementary and high school students
- doing outreach to campuses and youth organizations
- putting polling places on more than 120 university and college campuses
- commissioning studies, such as the National Youth Survey, to better understand why some young people don’t vote
In the 2015 election, young people voted in much higher numbers than they had done in decades, but they still voted less than any other age group.
Talk about it: What motivates young Canadians to vote? Visit the Youth Voting Trends page to learn more.
Check it out: Looking for a fun inquiry-based in-class exercise to explore trends in youth voting? Check out the educational resource of Elections Canada, Elections by the Numbers.
Where does Elections Canada stand on electoral reform?
Elections Canada does not take a position on electoral reform.
As a non-partisan agent of Parliament, the role of Elections Canada is to run federal elections, by-elections and referenda. Whatever electoral system is in place, this means making sure that Canadians are able to exercise their democratic rights to be a candidate and to vote.
Parliament revisits this issue from time to time to make sure our system is working in the best interests of citizens. This ongoing discussion is just one way to keep our democracy healthy.
Although Elections Canada doesn’t take a stand on electoral reform, future voters should stay curious and informed and learn about other electoral systems that are used around the world.
Talk about it: Do you think a different electoral system would work in Canada? Why or why not?
Is Canada introducing online voting?
Canadians can do just about everything online, but they won’t be voting online anytime soon. A lot of work is needed before Canada has an online voting system that is safe and secure.
Of course, there would be some benefits to online voting:
- convenience: Imagine voting from the couch in your pyjamas!
- more options for voters on when and how they cast their ballots
- easier access for people who have a hard time getting to the polls
- a safe way to vote during a public health crisis
Online voting is just not secure enough: If an election were hacked, our democracy would be under threat. It’s too risky.
Here are some other downsides of online voting to think about:
- privacy and secrecy concerns, such as information getting out about your identity or how you voted
- fraud, such as someone voting under a false identity or voting more than once
- manipulation, such as being pressured to vote a certain way
- lack of transparency: Since no one is there to observe the vote, people may have less confidence in the voting process and results.
Talk about it: Are the potential benefits of online voting worth the risks?
If civics classes were mandatory in schools, would we see higher voter turnout by young people?
It’s hard to know for sure, but research shows that the more youth know about politics, the likelier they are to be engaged citizens.
Part of being a future voter is gaining the knowledge to understand the issues and make an informed decision when going to the polls. This is called civic literacy and includes:
- voting
- understanding how government works
- knowing how to be an active citizen at all three levels of government
Studies show that the better a young person’s civic literacy, the more likely they are to vote. Young people can even benefit from having conversations about politics with friends, teachers and family. That can have an impact on voter turnout, too. Even if students are not studying civics in school, it can help to encourage them to talk to people about the issues that matter to them!
Check it out: Looking for teaching tools on citizenship and democracy? Here’s a good place to start.
Did you enjoy reading our student frequently asked questions? For more, visit Elections Canada’s FAQs for Electors.
Last updated: December 2024