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3. Voter Registration ServicesReport on the 2020 By-elections

National Register of Electors

Elections Canada maintains the National Register of Electors, a database of Canadians who are 18 years or older. The Register is regularly updated between and during elections, using administrative data received through agreements with federal, provincial and territorial agencies. Specifically, agreements are held with the Canada Revenue Agency; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; the Canadian Armed Forces; most provincial and territorial agencies responsible for driver licensing and vital statistics; and provincial and territorial electoral management bodies.

When an election is called, the agency uses data from the Register to produce the preliminary lists of electors, which are provided to registered and eligible political parties and to returning officers. Returning officers then provide the lists to the local confirmed candidates, as required by the Canada Elections Act. The preliminary lists are also used to produce the VICs and as a basis for the revised lists of electors (with elector information added during the revision period) and the official lists of electors (the lists used on election day).

Coverage, currency and accuracy of the Register

The quality of the information held in the Register is key to ensuring that all electors receive a VIC at their current address. It is also important to political parties and candidates wanting to engage with electors. Quality is a function of three factors: coverage, currency and accuracy.

Coverage is the proportion of eligible electors who are registered to vote. Historically, national coverage has varied between 91% and 96%. In the 2020 by-elections, the coverage of the preliminary lists was 97.6% in Toronto Centre and 90% in York Centre.

Currency is the proportion of eligible electors who are registered at their current address. Historically, the national currency has varied between 81% and 90%. In the 2020 by-elections, the currency of the preliminary lists was 90.9% in Toronto Centre and 79.8% in York Centre.

Accuracy is the proportion of registered electors who are listed at their current address. These electors are correctly registered and can vote without taking extra steps. Accuracy is calculated by dividing the currency estimates by the coverage estimates. Historically, national accuracy has varied between 88% and 93%. In the 2020 by-elections, the accuracy of the preliminary lists was 93.2% in Toronto Centre and 88.7% in York Centre.

Many factors may affect the quality of the lists, including demographic changes and the timely availability of data. The occurrence of these factors varies by region. However, revision activities carried out by returning officers and through online registration in the weeks before election day aim to improve the quality of the lists.

Revision period

The revision period began on Day 35 (September 21, 2020) for the Toronto Centre and York Centre by-elections and ended at 6:00 p.m. on October 20.

During the revision period, Elections Canada offices in each electoral district offered registration services in person and over the phone. Paper registration forms were also distributed to certain key areas, such as high mobility buildings and new residential neighbourhoods. Throughout the 2020 by-elections, electors could also go online to check whether they were registered, update their address or complete their registration.

Table 4 in the Appendix provides details on the number of electors on the preliminary lists of electors and the changes made to the lists during the revision period for the two electoral districts involved in the 2020 by-elections.