Step 4: Voting

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

Descriptive transcript

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.

Step 5: Counting >