Site Menu8. Conclusion – Report on the 43rd General Election of October 21, 2019
For the 43rd general election, Elections Canada focused its efforts on improving services to electors and political entities while maintaining the integrity, security, and efficiency of the electoral process in a changed legislative and security environment. With a majority government in place and a fixed election date, the agency was also able to renew outdated business processes and invest in electoral systems with a view to improving its security posture.
As with every general election, there is much to do to close the election, including the audit of campaign returns for political entities (currently in progress) and the publishing of official voting results. Also, the agency is completing a comprehensive assessment of key aspects of election delivery. Evaluations and assessments will be informed by a variety of surveys with electors, political entities and election workers. These evaluations and assessments will be supported by feedback from stakeholder groups: the agency's Advisory Committee of Political Parties and Advisory Group for Disability Issues, field staff, and groups representing electors known to face barriers to the electoral process.
In the months to come, Elections Canada will publish a variety of surveys and assessments of the election as it prepares a more detailed retrospective report, along with recommendations for legislative changes to continue modernizing Canada's electoral framework.
Finally, in the context of a minority government, the agency must restore its capacity to deliver an election that could be called at any time. At the same time, Elections Canada has set April 1, 2021, as the first of a series of readiness dates where incremental improvements can be brought in.
Work will also begin on longer-term improvements, such as technology at the polls and assistive technology for electors with disabilities. However, these improvements and any other will only be rolled out in a general election when they are ready and after they have been tested in by-elections.