Illustration by Katie Doyle
The 2021 Canadian federal election will be held on Monday. To register and vote, you are required to be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older on election day. As a student, there are several ways to vote. Here is everything you need to know about getting your ballot in.
Where to vote
In previous years, Elections Canada offered the Vote on Campus program to accommodate students. However, because of the lack of student presence on campus due to the pandemic, the initiative will not be available during this election. Instead, students can vote by mail or in-person using the address they consider “home”. This could refer to the address you live at while away at school, or the address you live at while not in school. Find your nearest polling location by clicking here.
In all cases, students must have a form of ID with the address they consider home on it in order to register and vote. In many cases, students wish to vote within the riding of where they live while at school, which may have a different address than what is on their driver’s licence. In this case, an alternative piece of ID must be provided.
Forms of ID
There are three options to prove your identity and address. The first option is to show either your driver’s licence or any other card issued by a Canadian government with your photo, name and current address. A second option would be to show two pieces of ID, one of which displays your current address. A possible combination may be to use your utility bill and student ID card.
Option three applies if you do not have any identification to present. In this case, you must declare your identity and address in writing and have someone who knows you and is assigned to your polling station vouch for your identity and address.
Choosing a riding
You are able to cast your ballot from your home riding or your school’s riding as long as you can prove you live there. To learn more about your riding, search for your electoral district using the postal code of the address you consider home through Elections Canada.
Who to vote for
Now that you have the information needed to vote, be sure to research the candidates in your riding. To learn more about your options, input the postal code of your chosen address on the Elections Canada website and select “who are the candidates in my electoral district?” to gain access to a list of candidates and resources.
