Here Are All Of The Ways That Canadians Can Vote In October's 2019 Federal Election

This is it! Campaigning for Canada’s 43rd federal election is officially underway, and the country’s party leaders are doing whatever they can to convince you to give your one precious vote to them. Whether or not you’ve decided where your vote will be going, here is everything you need to know about all the different ways that Canadians can actually vote, just in time for the 2019 federal election!

If you’re concerned that you’ve got a busy month coming up ahead, or perhaps you’re going on holiday during the election period, don’t worry! Elections Canada has made it super simple and easy to vote so that it is almost impossible to get away with not voting at all.

There are several different ways of casting your vote, and Canadians have the ability to choose the voting option that best suits their personal schedule!

Whether it be in person, by mail, in the advance polls, or on the campus, the most important thing is that you get out, and get your voice heard!

The first thing you have to know is that election day will be on Monday, October 21, 2019, and your vote must be in before then! But if you’re busy or away on the days leading up to the 21st, there are other options to cast your vote in advance!

Advance polls open at your assigned polling station, between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (local time) on Friday, October 11; Saturday, October 12; Sunday, October 13; or Monday, October 14. This means you can cast your vote up to ten days in advance of election day, which is a good option if you expect to be busy around October 21.

If you’re keen to make sure you give yourself ample opportunity to vote, you can apply to cast your vote at any time across the whole election period, at one of over 500 Elections Canada offices.

If you want to do this, you must apply before Tuesday, October 15, 6:00 p.m. Application forms are available at Elections Canada offices or online on their website.

Any registered voters, including those living abroad, those on holiday during election time, and those living away from home, can vote by mail. However, if you want to cast your vote via mail, you need to make sure you’ve applied to vote specifically by mail before Tuesday, October 15, at 6:00 p.m.

You can find the vote-by-mail application forms online, and they are also available at any Elections Canada office. You can also request a form by calling 1‑800‑463‑6868.

It is worth noting that mail-voters need to be organized. It is important to allow enough time for a voting kit to reach you and for your marked ballot to return to Elections Canada.

Finally, if you’re keen to get fully involved in the on-the-day action, you can vote on October 21 at your local polling station. Stations are open between 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. local time, and are a great place to get involved in the buzz of the big day!

Remember, to vote you’ll need to confirm your identity at the polling station! The best way to do this is by showing one piece of primary identification. This could be a passport, your driver’s licence, or any other card issued by a Canadian government (federal, provincial/territorial or local) that features your photo, name and address.

However you decide to vote, make sure that you are registered beforehand! To see if you are currently registered on the electoral list, visit Election Canada’s online voter registration service or contact the federal agency by phone at 1‑800‑463‑6868.

If you are not registered, you can add yourself to the electoral list by using the same website or phone number.

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