Special Ballot Communications – timeline for the 44th general election campaign – CEO Appearance on the 44th General Election before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs
Key Messages
- During the 44th general election, Elections Canada (EC) communicated widely and clearly about the various aspects of the special ballot process throughout the election period.
- The goal was to ensure Canadians were aware of their options to vote by special ballot, and of the associated requirements and deadlines. Our post election surveys indicate that unaided awareness of the vote by mail option went from 23% in GE43 to 70% in GE44.
- The communications campaign around special ballot voting was dynamic and changed throughout the election period in order to give Canadians the most pertinent information at the most relevant time.
Facts
- Throughout the election period, EC published several social media posts and reached out proactively to hundreds of media outlets to communicate information about:
- The options to vote by special ballot.
- The requirements and ways to apply for a special ballot.
- The deadlines associated with the special ballot process.
- The safeguards built into the special ballot process.
- The Inspire Democracy program sent numerous emails to its network of stakeholder organizations (approximately 600 addresses at the time of the election) which explained the vote-by-mail process. This included an email devoted exclusively to information about vote-by-mail, as well as several others emails which explained the vote-by-mail process in the context of all the options electors have to vote.
- Inspire Democracy's toolkit on registration and voting was updated before the election to expand its information on voting by mail, including the addition of explainer videos on the process.
- Community Leader Handbooks (for Indigenous electors, youth, new Canadians, and electors with disabilities) were updated with more information on voting by mail.
- A total of 9 student-focused presentations were made in which vote-by-mail was featured.
- The Assembly of First Nations promoted vote-by-mail across all their platforms, as a safe option to vote during the pandemic.
- Ilinniapaa Skills Development Centre (iSDC), which works throughout the North, promoted vote by mail as an option for remote communities.
- Here is a timeline for key special ballot communications throughout the 44th General Election period.
Election Calendar | Date (2021) | Communications product | Notes |
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Day 36 | Aug.15 |
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Day 35 | Aug.16 |
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Day 34 | Aug. 17 |
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Day 34 | Aug. 17 |
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Day 33 | Aug. 18 |
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Day 30 | Aug.21 |
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Election Calendar day | Date (2021) | Communications product | Notes |
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Day 23 | Aug. 28 |
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Day 23 | Aug. 28 |
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Day 23 | Aug. 28 |
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Election Calendar | Date (2021) | Communications product | Notes |
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Day 14 | Sep. 6 |
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Day 14 | Sep. 6 |
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Day 11 | Sep. 9 |
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Day 11 | Sep. 9 |
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Election Calendar | Date (2021) | Communications product | Notes |
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Day 8 | Sep. 12 |
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Day 5 | Sep. 15 |
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Day 5 | Sep. 15 |
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Day 0 | Sept. 20 |
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Day 0 | Sept. 20 |
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