The federal election is just under two weeks away (Oct. 21), but if you don’t want to wait that long, there are three ways to vote in advance.
Vote on advance polling days
Advance polling got underway Friday. Voters can cast ballots at assigned polling stations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on:
- Friday, Oct. 11
- Saturday, Oct. 12
- Sunday, Oct. 13
- Monday, Oct. 14
To find the exact address of your advance polling station, check your information card or use the Voter Information Service provided by Elections Canada. Go to elections.ca, type in your postal code and click on “Where do I vote?”
If you did not receive a voter information card, or if the information is incorrect, your voter information may not be up to date. You can check if you’re registered or update your address online at Elections Canada.
Advance voting at any Elections Canada office
If the advance polling dates don’t work for you, you can vote in person at any Elections Canada office in Canada, any time before 6 p.m. on Oct. 15. To find out where your nearest Elections Canada office is, go to elections.ca, type your postal code into the search window and click on “where is my local Elections Canada office?”
Vote by mail
Canadian citizens abroad, or those who would rather tackle the entire process from home, can vote by mail, provided they apply to do so online or at an Elections Canada office by 3 p.m. Pacific time on Oct. 15.
If none of these options work for you, you’ll have to get in line on election day, Monday, Oct. 21. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m., although you’ll still be able to vote after the cutoff as long as you lined up beforehand.
If you didn’t get a voter registration card or can’t find it, you can find your polling station online — go to elections.ca, type in your postal code and click on “Where do I vote?” — or by calling Elections Canada toll-free at 1-800-463-6868.
If you’re not registered, you can do so at your polling station. Filling out an online registration certificate and taking it with you may speed up the process. You’ll still need ID with your current address. A driver’s licence is easiest, but any ID with your photo, name and address on it that has been issued by the federal government, province or your municipality will suffice.
If you don’t have a driver’s licence, you’ll need two pieces of ID, which can include passports, blood donor cards, birth certificates, band memberships and so on. Bank statements, utility bills and student ID cards are also OK, but at least one must show your name and current address.
Even without ID, you can still vote if you declare your identity and address in writing and get someone to vouch for you. But that person must be able to prove their own identity and address. A person can vouch for only one person (except in long-term care institutions).
