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Survey of Election Officers following the 41st Federal General Election

Section 9: Bingo Cards

This section provides a report on the use of the "bingo cards", which refer to the forms used to record the identifier number of electors who came to vote. This form is provided to candidates' representatives at the end of each advance polling day and on a regular basis on election day.

Training and Ease of Use of the Bingo Cards

Three quarters of officers (74%) reported that the training they had received on bingo cards provided enough information. There were no statistical differences among regions.

Q37:" Thinking about the new form titled 'Statement of the electors who have voted on polling day' (also called the 'bingo card'), would you say that the training you received provided enough information on how to use it?" By region and student residence (n=3,213)
Total ATL. QC ON MAN SASK AB BC TER.* N. of 50th STUDENT RES.*
Yes 74% 78% 73% 74% 71% 78% 78% 73% 62% 82%+ 91%
No 13% 11% 13% 14% 13% 10% 14% 15% 18% 12% 4%
Almost 4% 5% 4% 4% 2% 3% 1%- 4% 6% 2% 0%
Don't know 8% 5%- 11%+ 8% 15%+ 8% 7% 7% 14% 4%- 4%

*Caution should be used when interpreting results due to small sample.

Significantly more deputy returning officers (78%) compared to other staffing positions reported that the training they received provided enough information on how to use it.

Q37: "Thinking about the new form titled 'Statement of the electors who have voted on polling day' (also called the 'bingo card'), would you say that the training you received provided enough information on how to use it?" By type of poll and staffing position (n=3,213)
Total Advance Ordinary Mobile CPS DRO IO
Yes 74% 69%- 75%+ 78% 70%- 78%+ 64%-
No 13% 19%+ 13%- 14% 19%+ 12%- 16%+
Almost 4% 3% 4% 5% 4% 4% 3%-
Don't know 8% 9% 9% 4%- 7% 7%- 16%+

Quite similarly to the 2008 baseline survey, 84% of election officers claimed that the bingo cards were very or somewhat easy to use. Of note, only officers from Manitoba were significantly less likely (78%) to think of the bingo cards as being easy to use both when compared with the national average and the previous survey for the 2008 general election (89%).

Q38: "Would you say [that the bingo cards were] very easy to use, somewhat easy to use, somewhat difficult to use or very difficult to use?" (n=3,213)

Q38: "Would you say [that the bingo cards were] very easy to use, somewhat easy to use, somewhat difficult to use or very difficult to use?" (n=3,213)
Text description of graph Q38: "Would you say [that the bingo cards were] very easy to use, somewhat easy to use, somewhat difficult to use or very difficult to use?"

*Caution should be used when interpreting results due to small sample.
Proportions do not add to 100% as DK is not included.

Q38: "Would you say [that the bingo cards were] very easy to use, somewhat easy to use, somewhat difficult to use or very difficult to use?" By type of poll and staffing position (n=3,213)
Total Advance Ordinary Mobile CPS DRO IO
Very easy to use 56% 53% 56% 50% 54% 59%+ 43%-
Somewhat easy to use 28% 28% 28% 35%+ 29% 28% 27%
Somewhat difficult to use 4% 4% 4% 4% 6%+ 4% 3%-
Very difficult to use 1% 0% 1% 2%+ 1% 1% 1%

Candidates' Representatives Usage of the Bingo Cards

According to election officers, just over half of the candidates' representatives picked up the bingo cards as soon as there were updates available. Officers in Ontario (60%) and British Columbia (63%) were more likely to indicate that candidates' representatives picked up the bingo cards as soon as they were available, whereas those in the Atlantic Provinces (46%), Saskatchewan (34%), and Alberta (45%) were less likely to say so.

Q39: "On election day, did the candidates' representatives generally pick up the forms as soon as there were updates available?" By region and student residence (n=2,585)
Total ATL. QC ON MAN* SASK AB BC TER.* N. of 50th STUDENT RES.*
Yes 56% 46%- 55% 60%+ 59% 34%- 45%- 63%+ 67% 48% 25%
No 32% 45%+ 30% 28%- 29% 47%+ 43%+ 27% 9% 40%+ 75%
Almost 9% 7% 12%+ 9% 5% 15%+ 6% 10% 13% 8% 0%
Don't know 3% 2% 3% 3% 7% 4% 5% 0%- 10% 3% 0%

Those who worked on election day only.
*Caution should be used when interpreting results due to small sample.

At mobile polls, candidates’ representatives were reportedly less likely (23%) to pick up the bingo cards quickly.

Q39: "On election day, did the candidates' representatives generally pick up the forms as soon as there were updates available?" By type of poll and staffing position (n=2,585)
Total Ordinary Mobile CPS DRO IO
Yes 56% 56%+ 23%- 52% 56% 58%
No 32% 31%- 69%+ 36% 33%+ 23%-
Almost 9% 9%+ 4%- 13%+ 7%- 14%+
Don't know 3% 3% 4% 0% 3% 5%

Those who worked on election day only.