open Secondary menu

National Electors Study: Report on Voter Experience

Download infographic in PDF or JPG.

National Electors Study on the 43rd Canadian Federal General Election
Before the election During the election After the election
Electors were surveyed up to three times: 49,993 electors 23,880 electors 21,435 electors

The Voter Experience

Voter registration

  • 89% of electors said they were already registered to vote before the election
  • 93% received a voter information card (VIC) during the election

Voter identification

Voters used different options to prove identity and address when voting:
a driver's licence by itself 89%
a provincial or territorial photo ID card by itself 5%
two authorized pieces of ID that together could establish identity and address

4%

Among voters who used two pieces:

  • 53% used a health card to establish their identity
  • 43% used their VIC to establish their address
had someone vouch for them <1%

The voting process was easier than electors expected:

Percentage who expected it would be very easy (before the election) Percentage who said it was actually very easy (after the election)
To register to vote 28% 67%
To access the polling place with a disability 67% 85%
To prove identity and address when voting 87% 94%
To vote 71% 85%

Getting to the polling place

Nearly all voters said their polling place was:
Located a reasonable distance from their home:
very reasonable 88%
reasonable
In a familiar location:
very familiar 73%
familiar
Suitable for holding an election:
very suitable 83%
suitable

Voting in 2019 took less time than in 2015:

Average time it took to vote:
On election day At an advance poll At an Elections Canada office
2019 7 minutes 8 minutes 8 minutes
2015 9 minutes 21 minutes 19 minutes

Voting took less time than electors expected:

Percentage who expected it would take five minutes or less (before the election) Percentage who said it actually took five minutes or less (after the election)
To travel to the polling place 28% 54%
To vote at the polling place 35% 63%
Nearly all voters were satisfied with:
The service they received from Elections Canada staff:
very satisfied 85%
satisfied
Their overall voting experience:
very satisfied 80%
satisfied

Overall Satisfaction with Elections Canada and the Election

Most electors trust that the election was run fairly and the results were accurate:

How fairly electors thought Elections Canada ran the election:
very fairly 70%
fairly
Level of trust electors had in the accuracy of the election results in their riding:
very high 61%
high

Confidence in Elections Canada and satisfaction with democracy was higher after the election than before it began

How much confidence electors have in Elections Canada

Before the election
a great deal 35%
a fair amount or more
After the election
a great deal 58%
a fair amount or more

How satisfied electors are with the way democracy works in Canada

Before the election
very satisfied 23%
satisfied
After the election
very satisfied 33%
satisfied