News Releases and Media Advisories

Opinion Polls Must Comply with Election Law

Rules Governing Publishing Poll Results Set Out in Canada Elections Act

OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 29, 2011

• The publication of opinion polls during the 41st general election is regulated by sections 326 to 328 of the Canada Elections Act.
  
  
• The first person or media outlet to release the results must indicate:
  
  
  • who sponsored the survey (for example, the news organization or political party that paid for the poll)
    
    
  • who conducted the poll
    
    
  • when the poll was conducted
    
    
  • the population from which the survey was drawn
    
    
  • how many persons were contacted
    
    
  • the survey’s margin of error
    
    
  • if the survey was not conducted using recognized statistical methods
    
    
• Print and Internet publishers must include the wording of the survey questions and instructions on how readers can obtain the written report.
  
  
• The survey sponsor must make the written report available on request, at a cost of no more than $0.25 per page.
  
  
• Any media outlet that broadcasts or publishes survey results within 24 hours of initial publication must provide the same information.
  
  
• No new opinion survey results may be published on election day before polling stations close.
  
  

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Information:
Elections Canada Media Relations
1-877-877-9515
or at www.elections.ca