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An Electoral Framework for the 21st Century – Recommendations from the Chief Electoral Officer

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This table shows select key recommendations to amend the Canada Elections Act, based on three objectives:

  • Accessibility and Inclusiveness
  • Flexibility and Effectiveness
  • Fairness and Integrity

Chapter 1 - Modernizing Canada's Electoral Process

  • Allow flexibility in distributing tasks among election workers – A1
  • Redefine the term polling station, so polling places can be redesigned for greater efficiency – A2
  • Reduce prescriptiveness of the counting regime to allow for potential use of technology – A3
  • Reduce prescriptiveness of oaths to lessen complexity – A4
  • Restore Chief Electoral Officer's public education and information mandate – A5
  • Allow pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds – A6
  • Allow Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to share information on non-citizens – A7
  • Allow voter information card to be used as proof of address, with another piece of ID – A8
  • Allow attestation with a single piece of ID; in some cases, allow multiple attestations – A9
  • Allow more electors to take advantage of provisions that grant assistance for electors with disabilities and allow people other than election workers to help electors with disabilities – A10
  • Make transfer certificates available to more electors with disabilities – A11
  • Expand voting at home to all electors with disabilities whose polling places are not accessible – A12
  • Allow curbside voting for electors with disabilities – A13
  • Raise standards for polling place accessibility beyond requiring level access – A14  
  • Modify pilot project approval process; require Elections Canada to pilot ways to assist electors with disabilities – A15
  • Open advance polls at 9:00 a.m. instead of noon – A16
  • Remove requirement for voters to sign record of votes cast at advance polls – A17
  • Allow mobile advance polls in low-density areas – A18  
  • Allow electors who apply online to print a special ballot – A19
  • Make prohibitions related to ballots and voter fraud clearer and more consistent – A20
  • Set a maximum length for the election period – A21
  • Move election day to a Saturday or Sunday – A22
  • Allow appointment of returning officers, assistant returning officers and additional assistant returning officers who live in the riding or in one adjacent to it – A23
  • Allow appointment of election officers who live outside the riding or are 16 or 17 years old, without the Chief Electoral Officer's authorization – A24
  • Remove waiting period for the appointment of election officers not nominated by parties – A25
  • Create a less restrictive candidate nomination process – A26
  • Require candidates to show ID to establish their name for the ballot – A27