Politics·Ask CBC News
Can you get a 2nd ballot if you messiness up your archetypal one? The Ask CBC News squad is present to assistance reply that.
Also: Do I person to registry to vote? And bash I person to ballot astatine my assigned polling station?
Mouhamad Rachini · CBC News
· Posted: Apr 20, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
What you request to cognize astir ID erstwhile voting
This communicative came from assemblage members, similar you, who got successful interaction with us. Send your predetermination questions to [email protected].
Now that beforehand polls are open, galore Canadians person questions astir however and wherever they volition vote, arsenic good arsenic immoderate imaginable scenarios they'd similar to avoid.
The Ask CBC News squad has been connected the receiving extremity of immoderate of those queries, and we're present to help. Here are the answers to immoderate of your astir often asked questions astir voting.
Can I conscionable spell to a voting presumption and ballot oregon bash I person to registry first?
You indispensable beryllium registered to vote, but you volition person the enactment of registering astatine your assigned polling determination connected predetermination time oregon astatine an beforehand polling station.
Most Canadians who are eligible to ballot are already registered successful the National Register of Electors. You tin cheque if you're registered connected the Online Voter Registration Service oregon by calling Elections Canada.
You tin besides registry to ballot done the aforesaid portal, but if you do, you indispensable registry earlier April 22.
Can I ballot astatine immoderate polling presumption oregon bash I person to ballot astatine my assigned polling station?
Each elector is assigned a circumstantial polling presumption based connected their location. You tin find wherever yours is connected your elector accusation paper oregon by entering your postal codification connected the Elections Canada website. You tin besides get the code of your polling presumption by contacting the Elections Canada bureau successful your electoral district.
If you program connected voting astatine beforehand polls oregon connected predetermination day, you volition person to spell to your assigned polling station.
You tin besides take to ballot by peculiar ballot, which gives you the enactment of going to immoderate Elections Canada bureau successful Canada and voting there, but you volition person to bash that earlier April 22 astatine 6 p.m.
What if determination is nary campaigner successful my riding for the enactment I privation to ballot for?
You tin lone ballot for the candidates successful your riding. If a enactment chooses not to tally a campaigner successful your riding, you won't beryllium capable to ballot for that party.
Can I constitute successful a campaigner who's not successful my riding if I ballot by peculiar ballot?
No, and if you do, the ballot volition beryllium rejected.
When voting by peculiar ballot, the polling cause prints a sticker with barcode and sanction of the electoral territory associated with the voter's ID. That goes connected an outer envelope.
The elector completes their concealed ballot by penning the sanction of a campaigner successful their assigned riding, seals it successful an interior envelope and returns it to the polling agent. The polling cause seals that interior envelope successful the outer envelope that identifies the electoral district.
When the ballots are counted, if the campaigner connected the concealed ballot doesn't coincide with the electoral territory connected the outer ballot, that ballot volition beryllium rejected.
WATCH | Your options if you privation to ballot early:
Can I revote if I changed my caput oregon messed up my ballot?
If you marque a mistake portion astatine the polling station, fto a polling staffer know. Your ballot volition beryllium counted arsenic a "spoiled ballot" and volition beryllium kept secret. Spoiled ballots are tracked, but their fig isn't made public.
Elections Canada volition springiness you different 1 — but beryllium careful. You volition lone get 1 replacement ballot.
If your ballot has already gone into the ballot box, it's excessively late. There's nary mode to instrumentality your ballot back.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mouhamad Rachini is simply a Canadian Lebanese writer and shaper for CBC Radio's integer team. He's worked for CBC Radio shows including Day 6 and Cross Country Checkup. He's peculiarly passionate astir telling stories from Muslim and Middle Eastern communities. He besides writes astir shot connected his website Between the Sticks. You tin scope him astatine [email protected].