What to Expect on Election Day

The day has finally arrived - election day, that is!  It's your chance to have your voice heard and vote for the candidate you think will best represent you, your community, and your province.  But what does a voter do on election day?

In order to vote, you must visit a polling place . Polling places are located within your constituency to make it convenient for everyone to vote. Polling places are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. so that you can vote after work or at a time that's convenient for you.

If you will be unable to vote on election day, you can vote in an advance poll . Advance polls are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on each of the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the full week preceding election day. If you are in a treatment centre or a senior's lodge, a mobile poll may be set up for you to vote there. 

When you arrive at the polling place, you must register with the polling place officials. If you are voting at your assigned polling place, you will be required to give your name and address to the official so they can record that you have voted. This also prevents one person from voting more than once. If you are not on the voting list, you must produce two forms of identification and sign the Oath of Elector before you can vote.

The polling place official will instruct you to proceed to one of the polling booths and with the marker provided, mark the ballot by placing an "X" in the circle opposite the name of the selected candidate. They will also ask you to refold the ballot so the initials of the Deputy Returning Officer can be seen without it. Then you must return the ballot to the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), who will check to ensure this is the same ballot given to you. The DRO will then place the ballot in the ballot box for you. You may not deposit it yourself.

After that, your duty is done! You leave the polling place and congratulate yourself for being an active citizen!  

For more information about voting procedure and rules, consult the Election Act available at the Queen's Printer Bookstore .