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Chapter 5 – Communications and public affairs (04/2023)

One of Elections Canada's mandates is to inform Canadians about the electoral process, including registration procedures, and the identification required to vote. This mandate includes conducting education programs for students on the electoral process. To achieve this, EC develops and implements communication campaigns and activities including national outreach and civic education programs. EC also conducts the Voter Information Campaign (formerly called the Elector Reminder Program), a national information campaign to promote and raise awareness during a general election.

5.1 Voter information Campaign

The Voter Information Campaign's objectives are to ensure that the general population knows when, where, and how to register and vote in a federal election, and to position EC as the authoritative source of information on registration and voting. The Campaign also aims to reach groups of eligible electors who face barriers, or with traditionally lower voter turnout rates, in order to increase their understanding of the electoral process and their participation in the federal election.

Samples of Voter Information Campaign products will be available on the Field Personnel Intranet. You should become familiar with these just in case you receive questions from electors.

All products are available in English and French. EC also provides certain information in a number of heritage and Indigenous languages as well as accessible formats. These resources can be downloaded from the EC website, or by contacting the FSN (How to reach us).

Voter Information Campaign advertising

In addition to communication products, the Voter Information Campaign includes a multi–media advertising campaign that targets different audiences based on age, information needs, geography, and consumption patterns. The campaign outlines the where, when and ways to vote: registration, early voting options, identification requirements, and election day reminders.

You will receive advance notice of dates, subjects and placement of advertisements so you can prepare for related enquiries.

5.2 Civic Education program

As a result of its Civic Education program, EC reaches future electors at the primary and secondary levels, through their teachers, with a goal to preparing them to participate in electoral democracy. EC has developed several free teaching resources that are distributed in Canadian classrooms.

All of these resources have been developed through extensive consultation with educators and tested in classrooms across the country. They connect with curricula in all provinces and territories, covering topics such as media literacy, the history of voting rights, geography and electoral districts, among others.

These resources include: teacher's guides, activity cards, videos, and fact sheets. They are available in English, French, and language learner versions. All lessons can be downloaded or ordered from EC's Elections and Democracy website.

5.3 Electoral event website: the focal point for information

At the issue of the writ, Elections Canada's regular website is replaced with the federal election site with its main focus on voting information. All Voter Information Campaign products and materials, and communications channels direct electors to the EC website.

The website has information for media, potential candidates and candidates, political entities and third parties. The website allows electors to find information on their ED through the Voter Information Service, tells them how to reach EC, and contains feedback forms and other useful downloadable forms. Stakeholders and electors can access tools like infographics, videos and promotional web icons to share information with other Canadians. The Employment section is also featured prominently at the start of the election to facilitate the recruitment of staff.

5.4 Voter Information Card and reminder brochure

Elections Canada sends two printed products directly to electors.

The Voter Information Card (VIC) is sent to all registered electors, with some exceptions, letting them know when, where and how to vote. It is mailed on days 26 to 24.

The reminder brochure provides information on voting dates (advance polls and polling day), other ways to vote, eligibility requirements, acceptable pieces of identification at the poll and registration information. The brochure is also available in braille and audio and is mailed to every household in Canada on days 17 to 14.

Detailed information on the Voter Information Card is outlined in Volume II, Chapter 4.

5.5 Social media

Elections Canada has corporate accounts in both official languages on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

linkden icon Bilingual: Élections Canada | Elections Canada
youtube icon English: ElectionsCanadaE
French: ElectionsCanadaF
facebook icon English: ElectionsCanadaE
French: ElectionsCanadaF
instegram icon English: electionscan_e
French: electionscan_fr
twitter icon English: @ElectionsCanada_E
French: @ElectionsCanada_F

Elections Canada responds to public social media enquiries sent only through Twitter and Facebook. For information on social media, consult EC's Code of Professional Conduct for Election Administrators (EC 10044), and the Guidelines for the Optional use of Social Media by Election Administrators (EC 90361) posted on the Field Personnel Intranet.

You are not to represent EC in social media unless you have received written authorization from the CEO in this regard. If there are any complaints related to social media, there are three options:

  • Send an email to the Operational Complaints and Incidents Unit with "Social media at the polls" in the subject line
  • Call the FSN and select the option Complaints to speak to an agent
  • Enter the complaint in the appropriate case management system

5.6 Media relations

Media are asked to contact you before taking photographs or making video recordings at polling places or in your office. Where possible, it is best to work with the media for these types of requests to ensure the best locations to meet their needs. If the field liaison officer (FLO), regional media advisor (RMA) or Media Relations staff at ECHQ receives a media request to shoot photos or video footage at a polling place under your responsibility, they will contact you to make arrangements. Media are allowed to take photographs or make video recordings from the doorways of a polling place, as long as they do not impede electors and do not compromise the secrecy of the vote.

Use the C1 Communication activities to guide you.

5.7 Public enquiries

During general elections, electors can call the toll-free number, call collect from anywhere in the world, fax, or use a teletypewriter (TTY). All calls are directed to the PEU which provides service seven days a week, from 7:00 am to midnight Eastern Time. Electors are to be encouraged to visit the EC website to find the information they are looking for even though PEU agents are ready to answer all questions.

C1 Communication activities
Before the election
Become familiar with the timing and themes of the election’s communications campaign to prepare for potential related enquiries.  
Become familiar with the communications products and initiatives designed for targeted groups of electors.  
Become familiar with polling place accessibility criteria and commitments that EC has made to ensure that voting sites are barrier-free.  

Become familiar with the community relations officer (CRO) toolkit and its contents and the promotional virtual information products sent to returning offices to distributethat CROs will disseminate to local organizations and the public in general.

 
Determine whether the Media in the Polls policy (section 5.5) applies to your ED (if you have a leader of a registered political party in your ED) and become familiar with it.  
During the election
Become familiar with the information on the website and the web services such as the Voter Information Service and E-Registration.  
Contact the FLO, or if not available, the RMA (regional media advisor) if you need help with the media.  
Report the following immediately to the FLO: any questions received from media representatives, requests for media visits or interviews, or issues that occur throughout the electoral event that may interest media.  
Be prepared to assist in public relations initiatives designed to increase awareness of and access to the voting process.  
Be prepared to receive requests from members of the community who wish to provide assistance in developing and carrying out voter awareness programs.  
If translation of electoral information is required, call or fax requests (How to reach us).  
Become familiar with official languages requirements and respect them in all activities. (Refer to Chapter 4 – Official languages.)  
Enquires from the public, candidates, political parties and official agents that are outside your area of responsibility are to be referred to Public Enquiries in Gatineau or to the EC website (elections.ca).  
Be prepared to receive calls from electors requesting information on the accessibility of their polling place.  
Ensure the distribution of communications tools for assisting the CROs and FLOs in communications activities.  
After the election
Evaluate the success of the Voter Information Campaign initiatives and materials. Performance indicators and guidance will be provided to complete the evaluation.