About federal elections canada

Elections Canada is the independent, non-partisan agency responsible for conducting federal elections and referendums. Its mission is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their democratic rights to vote and be a candidate.

Canada is a representative democracy divided into 338 ridings. When a federal election is called, Canadians vote to elect a member of Parliament to represent them in the House of Commons, where the member will debate and pass laws on behalf of their constituents. The candidate who receives the most votes in a riding is declared the winner. This is called a “first-past-the-post” system.

Each member of Parliament has a seat in the House of Commons. Candidates can represent a political party, or can be independent, meaning they have no association with a political party.

The Canada Elections Act states that a general election shall be held on the third Monday of October every four years. However, the Act does not prevent a general election from being held on another date. By law, election day must be at least 36 days and no more than 50 days after the day when an election is called.

Elections step-by-step

1. Dissolution

The Governor General ends Parliament on the request of the Prime Minister and directs the Chief Electoral Officer to issue the writs of election. The writ is the official paperwork that launches an election in each riding.

2. Candidates

Once an election is called, each party decides who its candidate will be in each riding. A candidate can also run for election without a party, as either an “independent” or with “no affiliation.”

3. Campaigning

During the campaign period, candidates try to convince voters that they are the best choice to represent them in Parliament.

4. Voting

The most common way to vote is at the polls on election day. Electors must prove their identity and address before getting a ballot. They then go behind a voting screen to privately mark their ballot. Election workers must follow strict procedures to ensure the secrecy of the vote. Source:-elections.ca