Facts and Figures

About Canada …

Canada is one of the largest countries in the world. Its six time zones pose a challenge for administering elections.
There are currently 308 federal electoral districts (also called "ridings" or "constituencies") in Canada. In one province – Ontario – the electoral districts are the same for both provincial and federal elections. The three northern territories each constitute a single federal electoral district.
Since 1997, Elections Canada has maintained a National Register of Electors that includes, in 2004, over 21 million electors.
According to the 2001 census, federal electoral districts each have an average of 70,954 electors.
Each year, about 15% of the Canadian population moves, slightly over 1% turns 18 and acquires the right to vote, 1% acquires citizenship, and 1% passes away.
12% of the Canadian population (approximately 2.6 million) is between 18 and 24 years old.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that "Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and to be qualified for membership therein."
The Canada Elections Act further states that "Every person who is a Canadian citizen and is 18 years of age or older on polling day is qualified as an elector."
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that "No House of Commons and no legislative assembly shall continue for longer than five years from the date fixed for the return of the writs of a general election of its members."
Longer terms are possible only in cases of real or apprehended war, invasion or insurrection, and must be endorsed by at least two thirds of the members of the House of Commons or the legislative assembly, as the case may be.

Canadian federal elections and the right to vote: historical milestones

1874		The secrecy of the vote was introduced with the adoption of paper ballots and voting booths



1918		Women were enfranchised at the federal level



1919		Women obtained the right to run as candidates in federal elections



1920		The position of Chief Electoral Officer of Canada was created to oversee the administration of federal elections nationwide



1921		In the 1921 general election, Agnes Macphail became the first woman elected to Parliament



1950		Inuit people obtained the right to vote and the right to run as candidates in federal elections



1955		The last vestiges of religious discrimination were removed from federal electoral law



1960		First Nations people living on reserves were granted the right to vote and the right to run as candidates in federal elections without having to give up their status under the Indian Act



1970		The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18



1972		The 1972 general election was the first in which 18 - 20-year-olds were entitled to vote



1982		The right to vote and the right to be a candidate in an election were enshrined in the Constitution with the adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms



1992		Special measures (templates, level access, interpreters) were put into the Canada Elections Act to ensure access to the vote for people with disabilities



1993		Federally appointed judges, persons with mental disabilities and persons serving prison terms of less than two years obtained the right to vote; the special ballot (mail-in ballot) was made available to all electors



2002		Following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada, voting rights were extended to all inmates