1. Canadian Elections
How do I Vote?

2. Why should I Vote?
When we vote, we choose the representatives who will make the laws and policies that govern how we live together.
Compared to other forms of political participation, voting does not require a lot of time or effort – in other words, it is one of the easiest ways to have a say in how your society is governed.
According to research commissioned by Elections Canada, only 25.4% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted at the 2000 general election. That means nearly 75% of young Canadians did not participate in selecting this country's government.
When politicians know in advance that most young people don't vote, they may be less interested in making the effort to be responsive to issues that matter to younger Canadians.
By not voting, young Canadians may be sending a message to politicians that young electors don't want to hear from them.

3. How Government Affects You!

4. Education
Increased government spending means that tuition or fees may be kept the same or even lowered. It also means that the institution may be able to offer more classes or services.
Decreased government spending means that institutions may have to increase tuition or fees to meet costs or they might cut down on the number of classes or services offered.

5. Laws
Our governments make the rules that we all must follow. Below are some of things that have happened or are being discussed.
In Saskatchewan all new drivers have a one year probation.
Federal government is debating if it should fund the arts (movies, tv, music, etc.) if they find the content offensive.
Federal government through the CRTC decides what is shown on Canadian TVs and radio.
Federal government regulates and controls the use of firearms.

6. Taxes
In 2008 the Saskatchewan people celebrated Tax Freedom Day (the day Canadians have paid off the total tax bill imposed on them by government and can finally start working for themselves) on June 20.
Our governments decide what you pay in direct taxes – income tax, GST, and PST.
Our government also decides what you pay in indirect taxes which in Saskatchewan includes: gas, electricity, auto insurance, and possibly phone service.

7. How can I get Involved?
All of the major political parties have a youth branch
The following organizations are also a good way to get involved without joining a specific party:
Student Vote is a non-profit educational initiative working to inspire the habit of electoral and community participation among students across Canada.
The Democracy Project is a national non-partisan initiative to involve youth in the federal election through all candidates town halls, an on-line survey, text voting, free music downloads and educational tools.

8. Election Timeline

9. Election Calendar
Once an election has been called, electoral activities occur in the following order during the 36 days before election day.
Issue of the writs; voting by special ballot begins. Day 36 before election day (or earlier)
Preliminary lists of electors sent to returning officers. Day 34
Revision of lists of electors begins. Day 33
Voter information cards mailed to all registered electors. Days 26–24
Reminder cards distributed. Days 19–17
Advance polls (registration at polls permitted). Days 10, 9, 7
Revision ends; deadline for special ballot registration. Day 6 (6:00 p.m.)
Deadline for special ballot voting*; election day (registration at polls permitted). Day 0

10. Voting Process

11. Who Can Vote? You can vote if you are: A Canadian citizen
At least 18 years old
Can establish proof of identity and address with one of the following:
Government issued photo id. such as driver’s license
Two pieces of id. without a photo
Swear an oath and be vouched for by an elector

12. National Register of Electors
This is the database of people eligible to vote in Canada.
To collect this information the government uses the following sources of information:
Canada Revenue Agency
Canada Post
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Provincial and terretorial registers of motor vehicles
All of these groups provide you with the opportunity to opt out of the register.
If you have opted out of the database then you will have to add your name to the voting list by:
Registering at the local Elections Canada office, or
Registering at a polling station

13. Voters List
Elections Canada will mail a voter information card to everyone on the voters list.
If your name and address are correct, keep the card. It shows that you are registered to vote, and tells you when and where to vote.
If your name and address on the card are not correct, you will need to call Elections Canada. You will find the telephone number of your local Elections Canada office on the back of your voter information card.
If you do not receive a voter information card, you may not be registered to vote. You can still register to vote at the polling station on election day by proving your identity and address.

14. Special Ballots
With a special ballot, an elector can vote by mail or in person at the office of any returning officer. It is particularly useful to persons with disabilities or away from home who would have difficulty reaching their polling station.
To vote by special ballot you must:
have a civic address for his or her place of ordinary residence in Canada, for electoral purposes.
register to vote by special ballot no later than 6:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before polling day
obtain the names of the candidates in his or her electoral district (in an election, the elector completes the special ballot by writing the name of the chosen candidate (not the name of the political party)
in the case of an elector voting by special ballot outside the electoral district of his or her ordinary residence, ensure that the completed ballot arrives at Elections Canada in Ottawa no later than 6:00 p.m., Ottawa time, on polling day
in the case of an elector voting in his or her electoral district, ensure that the returning officer for that district receives the completed ballot before the close of the polls in the electoral district on polling day

15. Advanced Polls
If you do not wish to or are unable to vote on election day you may vote at an advanced poll, just as you would on election day.
The voter information card tells you the dates and address. Take it with you to the polling station.
If you need to, you can also register at the advance poll. You must show proof of your identity and address. The required piece or pieces of identification are the same as those for registering to vote on election day.

16. Election Day
If you have a voter information card, take it with you when you go to vote at the polling station at the address shown on the card.
If you don't have a voter information card, and you didn't register earlier, you can still register to vote at the polling station on election day by proving your identity and address,

17. Voting Times
In Saskatchewan poll stations are open from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm when daylight savings time is in effect.
When daylight savings time is NOT in effect poll stations are open 8:30 am to 8:30 pm.

18. What Happens After Voting

19. Unofficial Results
Following the close of a polling station, the deputy returning officer in an electoral district counts the votes, in the presence of the poll clerk, and any candidates or their representatives who are present, or, if none are present, in the presence of at least two electors.
During the count, the deputy returning officer examines each ballot, shows it to each person present and asks the poll clerk to tally the vote in favour of the candidate for whom the vote was cast. The poll clerk keeps a tally of the votes for each candidate.
The deputy returning officer must reject ballots that were not supplied by him or her, were improperly marked (including those voided by the elector), were cast for a person other than a candidate, or on which there is any writing or mark by which the elector could be identified.
After the count, the deputy returning officer fills out a statement of the vote, recording the number of votes in favour of each candidate and the number of rejected ballots. In this statement, the deputy returning officer has to account for all ballots received at that polling station. The deputy returning officer then telephones the unofficial results to the returning officer, who makes them public immediately.

20. Validation of Results
The validation of the results of a vote is done by a returning officer generally in the week following polling day.
The returning officer validates the results in the presence of the assistant returning officer, and any candidates or their representatives or, if none are present, at least two electors.
During the validation, the returning officer must not open an envelope that appears to contain ballots; he or she cannot recount the votes, and cannot deal with any issues respecting irregularities at the poll.
Once validation has been completed, the certificate of the returning officer validating the result of votes is delivered to the Chief Electoral Officer and the candidates. On the seventh day following the validation, or as soon as possible after the completion of a judicial recount, the returning officer declares elected the candidate who obtained the largest number of votes.
The Chief Electoral Officer has no authority to correct or otherwise alter results that have been validated by a returning officer. The only review mechanisms open for validated results are a judicial recount or contested election application.

21. Judicial Recounts How to get one
If the leading candidates receive the same number of votes after the validation of the results, or if they are separated by less than one one-thousandth of the total votes cast in the electoral district, the returning officer must automatically make a request to a judge for a judicial recount and advise the candidates and their official agents of it in writing.
Any elector, including a candidate, may also ask a judge to carry out a judicial recount. The request must be presented within four days of the validation of the results and must include an affidavit stating that the count was improperly carried out, that ballots were improperly rejected or that the returning officer incorrectly added up the results at the validation. The applicant must deposit $250 with the court as security for the costs of the candidate who obtained the largest number of votes.

22. Judicial Recounts What Happens
If the judge agrees to proceed with a recount, it must begin within four days of the receipt of the request or application. Except with the permission of the judge, the only people permitted to be present at the recount are the judge, the returning officer, the candidates and a maximum of three representatives for each candidate. If a candidate is neither present nor represented, a maximum of three electors are entitled to attend on the candidate's behalf.
The judge makes the recount from the statements contained in the ballot boxes, or recounts some or all of the ballots returned by the deputy returning officers.
If the judge decides that ballots need to be recounted, the judge will then repeat the exercise done by the deputy returning officer on the polling night.
The results of a judicial recount are final and cannot be corrected or altered by a returning officer or the Chief Electoral Officer.

23. Contested Elections
After a person is declared elected, any elector who was eligible to vote in a district or any candidate in that district may bring an application for a contested election before a judge.
In a contested election proceeding, a judge is required to determine whether the person who won the election was eligible to be a candidate or whether there were any other irregularities, fraud, or corrupt or illegal practices that affected the result of the election.
This is a court proceeding at the end of which the judge either dismisses the application or invalidates the result of the election.
An appeal from this decision can be brought to the Supreme Court of Canada.

24. Credits
The previous information and a great deal more may be found at Elections Canada’s website at