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AppendixNational Electors Study on the 43rd Canadian Federal General Election: Report on the Voter Information Campaign and Elector Awareness

1. Profile of Survey Respondents (Quantitative Research)

Province/territory Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Newfoundland and Labrador1%2%1%
Prince Edward Island1%1%1%
Nova Scotia3%3%3%
New Brunswick2%2%2%
Quebec24%23%24%
Ontario39%38%37%
Manitoba3%4%3%
Saskatchewan3%3%3%
Alberta11%11%11%
British Columbia13%14%14%
Nunavut<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Northwest Territories<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Yukon<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Indigenous Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
First Nations2%2%2%
Métis2%2%2%
Inuit<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Non-Indigenous97%96%96%
Gender Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Female52%51%51%
Male46%48%48%
Non-binary/transgender1%1%1%
Prefer not to answer1%1%1%
Language spoken at home Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
English75%77%76%
French21%19%20%
Other3%3%3%
Prefer not to answer1%<0.5%<0.5%
Marital status Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Married45%45%45%
Living common-law14%14%13%
Widowed4%3%4%
Separated3%3%3%
Divorced8%7%7%
Single, never married25%27%28%
Prefer not to answer1%1%1%
Education Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Some elementary<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Completed elementary<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Some high school4%3%3%
Completed high school12%10%13%
Some community college/vocational/trade school/CEGEP10%9%8%
Completed community college/vocational/trade school/CEGEP19%19%20%
Some university10%11%10%
Completed university28%29%29%
Post-graduate university/professional school16%17%15%
Other<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Don't know<0.5%<0.5%<0.5%
Prefer not to answer1%1%<0.5%
Level of functional disability Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
No disability68%69%69%
Mild disability16%16%16%
Moderate disability8%8%8%
Severe disability6%6%5%
Very severe disability2%2%2%
Refused<0.5%----
Age Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
18 to 2410%10%10%
25 to 3416%17%17%
35 to 5433%33%33%
55 to 7436%36%36%
75+4%4%5%
Youth Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Youth 18–34 attending school8%8%9%
Youth 18–34 working full-time and not attending school13%14%13%
NEET youth2%1%2%
All other youth3%4%3%
New Canadians Weighted base
Wave 1
n=49,993
Wave 2
n=23,880
Wave 3
n=21,435
Immigrants who became citizens before the 2015 GE 14%13%13%
Immigrants who became citizens after the 2015 GE2%2%2%
Non-immigrants84%85%85%

2. Voter Journey (Qualitative Research)

This appendix reports participant feedback related to the steps they took to vote (for those who voted) or would take if they had voted (for those who did not). This feedback was elicited through an exercise involving the same participants, but is separate from the evaluation of the Voter Information Campaign.

Participants were presented with a sheet listing various steps a person could take to prepare for and cast their vote. They were asked to take a moment to think of the steps they had taken (if they voted) or would have taken (if they did not vote) leading up to voting in the most recent federal election, and then order them by what they would do first, second, third, and so on. Participants were instructed to add any missing steps and to ignore any steps that did not apply to them.1 The list included the following steps:

  • make sure I'm registered to vote
  • decide to vote
  • watch for my VIC in the mail
  • find out about candidates
  • go to the polling place to cast my vote
  • make sure I have the proper ID to vote
  • make a concrete plan to vote
  • watch the leaders' debate(s)
  • decide who to vote for

Sequencing of steps

While no step went unselected by an entire group, some steps were identified more often than others. Excluding the final step of casting one's vote, the steps identified most often included deciding who to vote for, finding out about candidates, watching for their VIC in the mail, and deciding to vote. The steps identified least often included watching the leaders' debate(s), making sure that one is registered to vote, and making a concrete plan to vote.

Asked specifically which step they listed first (or would do first, in the case of online participants), most of the participants identified deciding to vote as their first step. This preference was distantly followed by watching for the VIC, making sure they are registered to vote, and finding out about candidates.

Given the potential combinations and permutations, the sequencing of steps varied widely, and no dominant pattern emerged. That said, steps most often appearing among the first three were: making sure one is registered to vote, deciding to vote, and watching for the VIC. In the sequencing of these three steps, the order that emerged most often was: 1) deciding to vote, 2) making sure one is registered to vote, and 3) watching for the VIC. The only other patterns to emerge with any frequency among the first three steps were the following: 1) deciding to vote, 2) finding out about candidates, and 3) watching the leaders' debate(s); and 1) deciding to vote, 2) finding out about candidates, and 3) deciding who to vote for.

Most difficult/challenging step

Voters were asked which step was most difficult or challenging; non-voters were asked which step they anticipated would be most difficult or challenging. In response, the only step identified with any frequency was deciding who to vote for. For some participants, choosing one candidate to vote for was difficult due to the number of factors that could weigh into the decision. Some participants also found it challenging to find or assess what information about the parties and candidates was factual.

Small numbers of participants identified other steps as difficult: finding out about candidates, making a concrete plan to vote, and going to the polling place to vote. The last was mentioned by a few participants with mobility issues in the online group.

Footnotes

1 Participants in the online focus groups were asked to identify all the steps they took or would take but were not asked to order them chronologically.