Guide to the 2019 Canadian Federal Election: Register to Vote
According to CBC Radio, 18 to 38 year olds will make up the the largest group of eligible voters in the upcoming election. The majority of this blog’s audience will fall into this age group and it’s important to make sure you are aware and informed come October 21.
In case you didn’t know: Canada will be holding a federal election on October 21, 2019 which will determine our Prime Minister for the next four years. If you are a Canadian citizen who is 18 years or older (or will be by October 21st) that makes you an eligible voter! As an eligible voter, the next step is to check your registration status and/or to register. This can be done through Elections Canada.
The registration portal on the Elections Canada website will let you know whether you are a registered voter or not. It will allow you to register if you aren’t already and if you have moved since registering to vote it will allow you to change your address. You can also register at any Elections Canada office until October 15th. Finally, as a last resort if you are not able to register before the 15th of October, you can also register in person at the polls on October 21st as long as you have an ID and proof of residence.
After registering, a voter information package will be sent to you by Elections Canada. The voter package will have your polling place listed but in the case that your voting package does not arrive or you are not registered ahead of time, you can also find your polling place on the Elections Canada website.
Aside from election day, there will also be advanced voting opportunities at your polling place on October 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th (which again will be listed on your voter card or here). There will also be an opportunity to vote at a nearby campus and the information for campus polling places will be listed here.
So now that you know how to register and when and where to vote, it’s time to brush up on the candidates and their platforms. You’ll find a quick-start guide on who is running and how your vote counts in my next post.
