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
- who sponsored the survey (for example, the news organization or political party that paid for the poll)
- 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
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