Site Menu40th General Election Evaluations (October 14, 2008)
Elections Canada conducted a number of surveys, studies and post-mortems to assess the 40th general election, held on October 14, 2008. The results have been gathered into an evaluations report. This report and the evaluations used to prepare it are described below.
- Report on the Evaluations of the 40th General Election
- Survey of Electors
- Survey of Candidates
- Survey of Election Officers (Poll Staff)
- Survey of Returning Officers (Returning Officer Report of Proceedings)
- Returning Officers Post-mortem
- Field Liaison Officer Post-mortem
- Field Liaison Officers Regional Evaluation Questionnaire
- Survey of Community Relations Officers
- Aboriginal Elder and Youth Program Survey
- Communications Effectiveness Study
- Survey of Journalists
- Survey of Associations
- Canada Election Study
- Estimation of Voter Turnout by Age Group
Report on the Evaluations of the 40th General Election
The Report on the Evaluations of the 40th General Election of October 14, 2008, the first of its kind produced by Elections Canada, discusses the key findings of various evaluations of the 40th general election. These evaluations were carried out to assess Elections Canada's performance in conducting the election, measure the impact of the most recent changes made to the processes and procedures involved in conducting an election and identify opportunities for improvement.
This report serves as a bridge between the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on the 40th General Election of October 14, 2008, which was made available in February 2009, and the recommendations report, which the Chief Electoral Officer aims to submit to Parliament by the end of 2009.
Survey of Electors
The Survey of Electors Following the 40th General Election is based on interviews with 2,500 voters, with added oversamples of youth (aged 18–24), Aboriginal persons, visible minorities and immigrants. The survey measures electors' experiences, attitudes and opinions. It was conducted by The Strategic Counsel.
Survey of Candidates
For the Survey of Candidates Following the 40th General Election, candidates who ran in the 2008 general election were contacted to obtain their opinions and suggestions about electoral matters. The survey was conducted by Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
Survey of Election Officers (Poll Staff)
The Survey of Election Officers Following the 40th General Election is based on interviews with polling station officers (deputy returning officers, information officers and central poll supervisors) about the administration of the general election. It was conducted by Leger Marketing.
Survey of Returning Officers (Returning Officer Report of Proceedings)
The Survey of Returning Officers (Returning Officer Report of Proceedings) is a questionnaire that returning officers must complete shortly after an election. It evaluates the returning officer's satisfaction with Elections Canada's programs and services. It was analyzed by Leger Marketing.
Returning Officers Post-mortem
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The report on Regional Post-Mortem Meetings with Returning Officers provides suggestions on how to enhance the administration of elections, based on the experiences of returning officers. The short-term recommendations are primarily motivated by the 40th general election, whereas the longer-term recommendations are geared toward implementing Elections Canada's strategic plan. The report was prepared following regional meetings held by returning officers and moderated by representatives from Elections Canada.
Field Liaison Officer Post-mortem
The report on Priorities Identified by the Field Liaison Officers (FLOs) During Their February 16, 17, 18 and 19 Post-Mortem provides a list of suggested enhancements to election administration for both the short and long term. It was prepared following an election post-mortem meeting held in Ottawa in February 2009 with Elections Canada's field liaison officers.
Field Liaison Officers Regional Evaluation Questionnaire
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Field liaison officers are asked to complete the Field Liaison Officers Regional Evaluation Questionnaire shortly after an election. The questionnaire enables them to provide feedback on how events in their regions unfolded before and during an election.
Survey of Community Relations Officers
The Survey of Community Relations Officers Following the 40th General Election is based on interviews with community relations officers about their experiences in the field during the 40th general election. It was administered by Elections Canada and analyzed by Leger Marketing.
Aboriginal Elder and Youth Program Survey
The Aboriginal Elders and Youth Program Survey is based on interviews with participants about their experiences with the Aboriginal Elders and Youth Program. It was administered by Elections Canada and analyzed by Leger Marketing.
Communications Effectiveness Study
The communications effectiveness study (Elections Canada – Dominance-Convergence) was conducted by Impact Research. It is based on interviews with respondents located across Canada and evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of all of Elections Canada's communications efforts.
Survey of Journalists
The Media Satisfaction with Elections Canada Services report is based on interviews with journalists located across Canada who dealt with Elections Canada during the 40th general election. It was conducted by Harris/Decima.
Survey of Associations
For the Online Survey of Associations, more than 100 associations that provide services to youth, students, members of ethnocultural groups and people with special needs were consulted about Elections Canada's products and services. It was conducted by Environics Research Group.
Canada Election Study
Elections Canada has participated as a partner in the Canadian Election Study (CES) (McGill University) since 1997. This study was conducted by a prominent team of Canadian university researchers and includes a broad evaluation of respondent opinions about politics, political parties and leaders, and media and campaign activities during the 40th general election. Our own questions mainly focus on the opinion and attitudes of electors on policy and electoral issues, both administrative and legislative. CES uses the following survey combination:
- pre-electoral survey (3,200 respondents)
- post-electoral survey (3,860 respondents)
- mail-back questionnaire (2,055 respondents)
Estimation of Voter Turnout by Age Group
The Estimation of Voter Turnout by Age Group was conducted internally by Elections Canada. This study uses administrative data from the electoral process to create a sample of electors who voted during the 40th general election. The year of birth of each elector was then extracted from the National Register of Electors to develop estimates by age group, based on the sample. Estimates are also available by province and territory. The same methodology was used for the 2004 and 2006 general elections.