Site MenuAppendix C: Interview Guide – Experiences of Official Language Minority Communities Following the 44th General Election
Voting in the 44th General Federal Election
Interview Guide
Introduction
- Introduce self: Anita Pollak of Sage Research, an independent market research company. As you know, we are doing these interviews on behalf of Elections Canada.
These interviews are about getting a better understanding of people's experiences registering and voting during the most recent federal general election, which ended on September 20, 2021. The results of the research will be used to improve the programs and services offered by Election Canada.
- Review procedures:
- Role of interviewer: I have a set of questions to ask you about your experience. We'll go through the questions and I'll be interested to hear what you have to say. If there are any questions you prefer not to answer, that's fine – just let me know.
- Confidentiality: The material we sent you outlined the privacy and confidentiality measures we're taking, and I won't go through all of these again. A key point is that your name will not appear in the report. Do you have any questions about the privacy and confidentiality measures?
- Recording: With your permission, I'd like to record this interview. The recording is for my use only to help in preparing the report on this research, and it will not be provided to Elections Canada. After the report is completed, the recording will be destroyed. Are you OK with recording our interview?
- [If applicable] Presence of observer(s) from Elections Canada – they are here to observe me as the interviewer, basically to make sure that the interview guide I'm using gets the information they need.
- Any questions?
Starting Point
- My understanding is that you voted (tried to vote) in this general federal election that just ended on September 20. I would like to go through the voting process with you and ask you some questions about your experience and the information and services you received at each step of the process.
- Before we do that though, I would like to ask you a question. Were you aware that each person in Canada has the right to vote in their preferred official language of choice, that is either in English or French, or did you not know of this before now?
- In any conversations with Elections Canada officials or people working at polling stations, how important is it to you to be served in your preferred official language? Would you say it is very important, somewhat important, not that important, or not at all important? Probe: Reasons why
- Please tell me how you voted (tried to vote). Was it at an advance poll, at a poll on Election Day, at a local Elections Canada office, or was it by mail?
Pre-Election/Registration This applies to everyone regardless of how voted
Prior to voting day or advance polls being opened up, people may receive various types of information from Elections Canada. One of these is the Voter Information Card. Did you receive a Voter Information card in the mail?
If received: Was your name and address correct on the Voter Information Card?
If correct:- Other than your name and address, do you recall reading any of the other information on the front or back of the Voter Information Card? [If no, go to next section]
- Was there anything confusing or hard to understand on the Voter Information Card?
- I'm interested in the quality of the writing on the Card. The Voter Information Card is bilingual.
Did you read the English text on the Card, the French text or both the English and the French?
- [If read the English] How was the quality of the English text? [If also read the French text] What was your reason for also reading the French text?
If not correct:
- What steps did you take to correct the information?
Note to Moderator: The information could be corrected online (elections.ca), by calling a 1-800 #; by going to an Elections Canada office or when they go to vote
- Overall how easy or difficult was it to correct the information? If difficult: What was the difficulty?
Do you any suggestions for how the process could be improved?
- In the process of correcting the information, were you able to get information and/or service in your preferred official language? And what was your preferred language?
If yes: [if preferred English] How was the quality of the English? (as appropriate, probe both written and oral]
If not: What happened?
Probe: As appropriate, quality of the French/English
If not received: How did you go about registering to vote?
Note to Moderator: A person can register online (elections.ca), by calling a 1-800 #; by going to an Elections Canada office or when they go to vote
- Were you able to get information and/or service in your official language of preference? And what was your preferred language?
If yes: [if preferred English] How was the quality of the English? (as appropriate, probe both written and oral]
If not: What happened?
Probe: As appropriate, quality of the French/English
- Were you successful registering to vote?
If not successful: What was the difficulty? (Note – this would pertain to all recruits who tried but were unable to vote)
Probe for the role of service in their preferred official language
Do you have any suggestions for how this could have been better handled?
Ask questions on bilingual information booklet and then conclude the interview
If successful: Overall was it easy or was it difficult to register to vote? If difficult: What was the difficulty?
Elections Canada mailed out a bilingual information booklet, Guide to the Federal Election to households in Canada. Do you recall receiving this booklet? [If no, go to next section]
If received: Did you read any of the booklet, or not really? [If not, go to next section]
If read some of the booklet:
- Overall was it easy or was it difficult to understand the information in the booklet?
Was there anything confusing or hard to understand in the booklet?
If anything confusing/difficult to understand: What was confusing or difficult to understand?
- I'm interested in the quality of the writing in the bilingual information booklet.
Did you read the English text, the French text or both the English and the French?
- [if read the English] How was the quality of the English text? [If also read the French text] What was your reason for also reading the French text?
- Overall was it easy or was it difficult to understand the information in the booklet?
Sometimes people who have questions before going to vote will first go to their local Elections Canada office to talk to someone about their questions. Before voting, did you go to your local Elections Canada office to talk to someone about some questions you had? [If no, go to next section]
If talked to someone at local Elections Canada office:
What type of questions did you have?
Which official language did you want to use when talking to someone at your local Elections Canada office?
Were all the signs in the office bilingual? [If no:] What types of signs were in only one language?
When you arrived at your local Elections Office, did you generally feel welcome or not really? If not really: What happened?
Were you able to talk to someone at the Elections Canada office in your preferred language?
If yes:
How did that come about? Did someone offer to talk to you in that language, or did you have to ask for this?
Did you have any problems finding someone to speak to you in that language?
How was the quality of their French/English?
Overall, how easy or difficult do you think it is for the local Elections Canada office to provide service in French/English in your community? Why do you say that?
Was the level and quality of the service you received in French/English about what you expected, better than what you expected, or worse than what you expected? Why do you say that?
If no:
How did people at the Elections Canada office handle the situation?
What did you do?
Were you satisfied with how the situation was handled, or not really? What are your reasons?
Overall, how easy or difficult do you think it is for the local Elections Canada office to provide service in French/English in your community? Why do you say that?
Was the level and quality of the service you received in French/English about what you expected, better than what you expected, or worse than what you expected? Why do you say that?
Were you able to get answers to all your questions?
If no: What do you think were the reasons why you could not get an answer?
If tried to vote by mail (Note – only in the sample because they talked to EC), otherwise go to next section
Overall, thinking about the types of services you received from Elections Canada at all stages during this recent election, was it in line with the services you expected? If not: How was it different from what you expected?
Comparison to experiences in previous elections: Overall, would you say your experience voting in this federal election when it comes to services being available in your preferred official language was better, the same or worse than in previous federal elections?
If better: In what ways was it a better experience than in past federal elections?
If worse: In what ways was it a worse experience than in past federal elections?
Future voting preference for method of voting: Based on your experience this federal election, do you think you will vote using the same method in the next federal election, whenever that might be? That is, do you think you will again vote by mail, or do you think you will vote using some other method?
If different method: What method and why is that?
If same method: Why is that?
This concludes the interview. Thank you very much for your help.
Voting in person at an advance poll or at a poll on Election Day
Let's now talk about your experience when you voted at (an advance poll/the poll on Election Day).
I'm particularly interested in whether you were served in your preferred official language, and the quality of this service. What language did you prefer to use when you went to vote?
Outside the polling location: Polling locations usually have some signs outside that identify it as a place where people can vote, and to help people know where to go in the building. Were there any such signs where you went to vote? [If no, go to next section]
Were all of the signs bilingual or in your preferred language? Note to Moderator: Signage would have been bilingual
If no: Which signs were not in your preferred language? How did you handle this?
Thinking of the signs that were in (preferred language): Were you completely satisfied with the signs in terms of being clear and easy to read? If not, what were you not satisfied with?
- When you arrived at the poll, did you generally feel welcome or not really? If not really: What happened?
Greeting at the polling station: Were you greeted by an Elections Canada official when you arrived to vote?
If yes: Were you completely satisfied or less than completely satisfied with the official language or languages in which you were greeted?
If completely satisfied: Is there anything that could have been done to improve how you were greeted? If yes: What would you suggest?
If less than completely satisfied: What was about the greeting that made you less than completely satisfied and what suggestions do you have for how it could be improved?
If no: Did you have any difficulty finding where to register to vote and receive your ballot? How did you know where to go to register and receive your ballot?
Probe: If relied on signs or asking poll workers: In preferred language? Quality of written/spoken preferred language? Suggestions for improvement?
Speaking to poll worker to register and receive ballot: When you went to register to vote and received your ballot, did the poll worker initially speak to you in the official language you prefer or did you have to ask them to speak to you in that language?
Were you able to talk to the person in your preferred language?
If yes:
How did that come about? Did they offer to talk to you in that language, or did you have to ask for this?
Did you have any problems finding someone to speak to you in that language?
How was the quality of their French/English?
If no:
How did the people at the polling station handle the situation?
What did you do?
Were you satisfied with how the situation was handled, or not really? What are your reasons?
Any other interactions at polling station: Besides what we have talked about, did you have any other interaction with poll workers when you voted, that is any other information you needed?
If yes:
- What information did you ask for?
- Were you able to get the information in your official language of preference? If not: What happened?
Overall, how easy or difficult do you think it is for Elections Canada office to provide service in French/English in your community? Why do you say that?
Was the level and quality of the service you received in French/English about what you expected, better than what you expected, or worse than what you expected? Why do you say that?
- Overall, thinking about the types of services you received from Elections Canada at all stages during this recent election, was it in line with the services you expected? If not: How was it different from what you expected?
Comparison to experiences in previous elections: Overall, would you say your experience voting in this federal election when it comes to services being available in your preferred official language was better, the same or worse than in previous federal elections?
If better: In what ways was it a better experience than in past federal elections?
Future voting preference for method of voting: Based on your experience this federal election, do you think you will vote using the same method in the next federal election, whenever that might be? That is, do you think you will again vote (at an advance poll/poll on Election Day), or do you think you will vote using some other method?
If different method: What method and why is that?
If same method: Why is that?
This concludes the interview. Thank you very much for your help
Voting in person at an Elections Canada Office
If went to local Elections Canada office to ask questions:
- When you went to your local Elections Canada office for answers to some questions you had, did you also vote at the same time? [If no, go to next section]
Voted at Elections Canada on same visit went there to ask questions:
Voting process: When you went through the process of voting at the local Elections Canada office, did the Elections Canada staff speak to you in the official language you prefer or did you have to ask them to speak to you in that language?
During the voting process, were you able to talk to the staff in your preferred language?
If yes:
How did that come about? Did they offer to talk to you in that language, or did you have to ask for this?
Did you have any problems finding someone to speak to you in that language?
How was the quality of their French/English?
If no:
How did the people at the polling station handle the situation?
What did you do?
Were you satisfied with how the situation was handled, or not really? What are your reasons?
- Overall, thinking about the types of services you received from Elections Canada at all stages during this recent election, was it in line with the services you expected? If not: How was it different from what you expected?
Comparison to experiences in previous elections: Overall, would you say your experience voting in this federal election when it comes to services being available in your preferred official language was better, the same or worse than in previous federal elections?
If better: In what ways was it a better experience than in past federal elections?
If worse: In what ways was it a worse experience than in past federal elections?
Future voting preference for method of voting: Based on your experience this federal election, do you think you will vote using the same method in the next federal election, whenever that might be? That is, do you think you will again vote at an Elections Canada office, or do you think you will vote using some other method?
If different method: What method and why is that?
If same method: Why is that?
- Are there any other comments you would like to make about anything we have discussed?
This concludes the interview. Thank you very much for your help
If voted at Elections Canada office (separate from any previous visit to ask questions):
Let's now talk about your experience when you voted at your local Elections Canada office.
I'm particularly interested in whether you were served in your preferred official language, and the quality of this service. What language did you prefer to use when you went to vote?
- Signage related to voting: Were all the signs in the office related to voting in this election bilingual? [If no:] What types of signs were in only one language?
- When you arrived at your local Elections Office, did you generally feel welcome or not really? If not really: What happened?
Greeting at the Elections Canada office: Were you able to talk to someone in the Elections Canada in your preferred language when you arrived to vote?
If yes:
How did that come about? Did someone offer to talk to you in that language, or did you have to ask for this?
Did you have any problems finding someone to speak to you in that language?
How was the quality of their French/English?
If no:
How did the people at the polling station handle the situation?
What did you do?
Were you satisfied with how the situation was handled, or not really? What are your reasons?
Speaking to Elections Canada staff to register and receive ballot: When you went to register to vote and received your ballot, did the person at the Elections Canada office initially speak to you in the official language you prefer or did you have to ask them to speak to you in that language?
Were you able to talk to the person in your preferred language?
If yes:
How did that come about? Did they offer to talk to you in that language, or did you have to ask for this?
Did you have any problems finding someone to speak to you in that language?
How was the quality of their French/English?
If no:
How did the people at the Elections Canada office handle the situation?
What did you do?
Were you satisfied with how the situation was handled, or not really? What are your reasons?
[If not already asked]: Overall, how easy or difficult do you think it is for the local Elections Canada office to provide service in French/English in your community? Why do you say that?
Was the level and quality of the service you received in French/English about what you expected, better than what you expected, or worse than what you expected? Why do you say that?
- Overall, thinking about the types of services you received from Elections Canada at all stages during this recent election, was it in line with the services you expected? If not: How was it different from what you expected?
Comparison to experiences in previous elections: Overall, would you say your experience voting in this federal election when it comes to services being available in your preferred official language was better, the same or worse than in previous federal elections?
If better: In what ways was it a better experience than in past federal elections?
If worse: In what ways was it a worse experience than in past federal elections?
Future voting preference for method of voting: Based on your experience this federal election, do you think you will vote using the same method in the next federal election, whenever that might be? That is, do you think will again vote at an Elections Canada office, or do you think you will vote using some other method?
If different method: What method and why is that?
If same method: Why is that?
- Are there any other comments you would like to make about anything we have discussed?
This concludes the interview. Thank you very much for your help.
I would like to send you the $75 honorarium as a thank you for your participation. I can send this to you either via Interac e-transfer or mail you a cheque. Which would you prefer?
IF INTERAC: I'LL USE THE SAME EMAIL ADDRESS AS WE HAVE ON RECORD. You'll receive the $75 in the next few days.
IF CHEQUE: I WILL NEED YOUR FULL ADDRESS:
STREET: ____________________________________ APT. #: __________________
CITY: ______________________________________ POSTAL CODE: ______________
We'll mail the cheque out to you in the next few days.
Thank you again!