Can I vote if I am a Muslim woman covering my face?

Yes. You can either reveal your face to a female elections officer, or swear a special oath as to your eligibility to vote.

After that, regular identification rules apply.

What are the regular identification rules?

You have three options: produce one piece of government issued photo ID, such as a driver's licence; produce two pieces of non-photo ID showing your name and address, or; have an elector registered at the same polling station, with proper ID, vouch for you.

When can I vote?

In the Eastern Time zone, polling stations are open today from 9:30a.m. to 9:30p.m.

What if I'm working?

Your employer must ensure that you are free for three consecutive hours while polls are open. For example, if your regular working hours run from 11:30a.m. to 7:30p.m., your employer must let you come in half an hour late or leave half an hour early.

Where do I go?

If you are registered to vote, your voter information card likely arrived in the mail with instructions. If you misplaced the card, visit the elections.ca home page, click "voter information service" and follow the instructions, or call 1-800-463-6868.

What if I am not on the list?

You can still register at a polling station today by proving your identity and address.

Can I vote if I'm homeless?

Yes. If you are staying at a shelter, have the administrator sign an "attestation of residence" form and bring it to a polling station. If not, have a registered elector with proper ID vouch for your identify.

What happens at the polling station?

The station will often be a school gymnasium, church or some other community building. A number of tables will be set up. Somebody will direct you to the right table.

A poll clerk typically finds your name and address on the list, and draws a line through it. The deputy returning officer initials a folded paper ballot, attaches a numbered stub to it and hands them to you.

Walk around to the stand behind the cardboard screen and unfold the ballot. It lists your riding's candidates in alphabetical order, and states their party affiliation. Using the pencil provided, vote by marking the ballot with an "X" in the circle beside the name of the candidate you favour.

Refold the ballot. Walk back to the table and let the deputy returning officer verify that the ballot is the one you were given. Take back the ballot and push it through the slot on top of the ballot box.

May I eat my ballot?

No. Protests such as eating or otherwise destroying a ballot are illegal. If ballots go unaccounted for, results can be contested.

Why not leave voting to elders?

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In the 2000 federal election, 75 per cent of eligible voters between 18 and 24 did not cast a ballot. If young people don't vote, says Elections Canada, politicians might be less likely to respond to their needs.

Why vote?

A government's legitimacy derives from the fact that it is elected, says Elections Canada. A low voter turnout calls such legitimacy into question.



