open Secondary menu

Preliminary Survey Results from NES GE44: Elector Knowledge, Expectations, and Experience of the Voting ProcessCEO Appearance on the 44th General Election before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

PACE Research, February 2022

This research fact sheet presents preliminary results from the 2021 National Elector Study (NES) for selected measures related to electors' expectations, knowledge and experience of the voting process, with a focus on how informed and safe electors felt about the ways to vote in the election given the COVID-19 pandemic, and on how easy it was to vote in those ways.

Considerations

  • Electors' expectations of the voting process were measured throughout the election period survey (53,731 respondents). All other results were measured in the post-election survey (39,568 respondents).
  • Results are weighted so that the characteristics of respondents correspond to their respective populations.
  • All 2021 data are currently being reviewed and may be revised before publication.
  • Results from the previous GE(s) are included as a point of comparison; however, no statistical testing has been conducted and any minor differences in results may not be statistically significant.
  • The final survey reports will provide a narrative account of the results including any interactions with other variables that may help contextualize the results. Reports are expected to be available for internal dissemination in early March 2022.

Observations

  • During the election period, electors expected it would be easier to vote in person (96%) than by mail (67%). They also expected that they would feel safe voting in person (90%).
  • After the election, 89% of electors said they felt informed about the health and safety measures in place at the polls for COVID-19; 96% said they felt informed about when, where and the way to vote in the election.
  • Electors' awareness of the option to vote by mail was much higher for the 44th GE (70%) than for any previous GE (e.g. 23% in 2019).
  • Voters reported that on average it took 5 to 6 minutes longer to vote at both ordinary polls and advance polls in 2021 than it did in 2019. Compared with the 2015 GE, election day voting times in 2021 were on average 3 minutes longer while advance voting times were 7 minutes shorter.
  • Regardless of whether voters voted on election day, at advance polls, or by mail, the vast majority (>95%) said they found it was easy to vote, they were satisfied with their overall voting experience, and those who voted in person said they felt safe.
Elector expectations of the voting process during the election period
2021 2019
Electors who expected it would be easy to vote by mail 67% -
Electors who expected it would be easy to vote at the polling place in person 96% 98%
Electors who expected they would feel safe voting in person, given COVID-19 health and safety measures in place at the polls 90% -
Elector knowledge of the voting process after the election
2021 2019
Electors who felt informed about when, where and the ways to vote in the election 96% -
Electors who felt informed about the health and safety measures for COVID-19 that were in place at the polls for the election 89% -
Electors who knew unaided about the option to vote by mail in the election 70% 23%
Time it took to vote in person
2021 2019 2015
Average time it took to vote in person in minutes 13 8 12
At a polling place on election day 12 7 9
At advance polls 14 8 21
Ease of and satisfaction with the voting experience
2021 2019
Voters who said it was easy to vote (all methods) 98% 98%
At a polling place on election day 98% 98%
At advance polls 98% 98%
By mail 97% 90%
Voters satisfied with their overall voting experience (all methods) 96% 97%
At a polling place on election day 96% 97%
At advance polls 96% 97%
By mail 95% 95%
Voters who felt safe when they voted in person, given COVID-19 health and safety measures that were in place at the polls 95% -

Forthcoming Survey Results

February 16

  • Results from the Labour Force Survey
    • Non-voters' reasons for not voting

Q1 2022-23

  • Additional results from the National Electors Study
    • Knowledge and ease of various aspects of the electoral process: registration, voter identification, accessibility
    • Opinions on the distance to and suitability of polling places
    • Awareness and evaluation of the Voter Information Campaign
    • Perceptions of the integrity of the election including vote by mail, the impact of disinformation and foreign interference/influence
  • Results from the survey of election officers
    • Poll workers' observations on how smoothly the voting process went at the polling place
    • How safe poll workers felt when working with the safety measures in place for Covid-19
    • Difficulties of working the polls due to Covid-19 safety measures
    • Views on the quality of the working conditions
  • Results from the survey of recruitment officers
    • Ease/difficulty of recruiting people to work the polls, reasons it was difficult
    • How often people were hesitant to work due to Covid-19 or the related conditions of employment
    • Ease/difficulty of hiring bilingual poll staff
  • Results from the survey of candidates
    • Use and satisfaction with Elections Canada's products and services
    • Ease/difficulty of the nomination process
    • Satisfaction with Elections Canada's administration of the election in their riding
  • All surveys: analysis of differences in results by subgroup – e.g. age, gender, region, youth, First Nations, persons with a disability, etc.