Transcript Canadian Elections - Winston Knoll Collegiate

Canadian Elections
How do I Vote?
Why should I Vote?
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When we vote, we choose the representatives who will make the laws and policies
that govern how we live together.
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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.
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According to research commissioned by Elections Canada, only 25.4% of 18 to 24year-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.
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How Government Affects You!
Education
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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.
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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.
Laws
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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.
Taxes
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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.
How can I get Involved?
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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. http://www.studentvote.ca/
 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.
http://www.thedemocracyproject.ca/
Election Timeline
Election Calendar
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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
Voting Process
Who Can Vote?
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You can vote if you are:
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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
National Register of Electors
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This is the database of people eligible to vote in Canada.
To collect this information the government uses the following
sources of information:
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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:
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Registering at the local Elections Canada office, or
Registering at a polling station
Voters List
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Elections Canada will mail a voter information card to everyone on
the voters list.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Special Ballots
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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:
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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
Advanced Polls
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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.
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The voter information card tells you the dates and address. Take it
with you to the polling station.
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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.
Election Day
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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.
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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,
Voting Times
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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.
What Happens After Voting
Unofficial Results
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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.
Validation of Results
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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.
Judicial Recounts
How to get one
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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.
Judicial Recounts
What Happens
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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.
Contested Elections
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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.
Credits
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The previous information and a great deal
more may be found at Elections Canada’s
website at
http://www.elections.ca/home.asp