Protecting Canadians
Elections Canada put in place health and safety measures to keep polling places and Elections Canada offices safe for electors. The agency also developed a communications campaign to make sure that electors were aware of and followed these measures.
Health and safety measures
Physical distancing
Elections Canada encouraged electors to follow physical distancing measures.
In support of these measures, poll workers managed room and facility capacity and adapted the layout of polling places as follows:
- Inside voting rooms, floor markers were placed at two-metre intervals in front of each table to show electors where to line up.
- Inside voting rooms, electors circulated in one-way directions when possible.
- Service tables were spaced four metres apart, and candidates and their representatives were seated two metres apart from electors.
Hand sanitizer stations and cleaning
Hand sanitizer stations were set up at the entrances and exits of all polling places and at all service desks.
Poll workers disinfected high-touch surfaces every 30 to 60 minutes and more frequently during peak periods. They prioritized door handles, door access buttons, hand rails, elevator buttons, light switches, desks with voting screens, and the surfaces of service desks where electors placed their documents.
Masks
Elections Canada required electors to wear a mask when required by provincial, territorial or local health authorities. The agency also encouraged electors to wear a mask even in places where local health authorities did not require it.
Electors could wear their own mask or a disposable one, which was available at all polling places.
Pencils
Electors could bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot. Single-use and large-grip pencils were also available.
Entry Register
Elections Canada collected in an Entry Register the name and phone number of people accessing any local Elections Canada office. The agency also collected this information at polling places but only if required by the provincial, territorial or local public health authority. Providing this information was voluntary.
The Entry Register will be provided to public health authorities if requested. Elections Canada will not conduct contact-tracing. Protocols are in place to protect electors' information and properly dispose of it. Entry Registers will be destroyed 30 days after election day.
To find out more, visit:
Communicating health and safety measures
Posters
Posters clearly stating the health and safety measures in place for electors and visitors were placed inside and outside of polling places, including inside and outside of voting rooms.
Information and safety campaigns
For each general election, Elections Canada launches a Voter Information Campaign that is a national multimedia campaign to let Canadians know where, when and the ways to register and vote.
For the 44th general election, Elections Canada also launched a health and safety campaign to inform electors about the health and safety measures at polling stations and Elections Canada offices.
To find out more, visit:
Text version of "Health and safety measures"
Visual: "Federal Election" appears. Fades to black.
Narrator: Federal election. Elections Canada has implemented health and safety measures to keep polling places safe to protect workers and electors.
Super: Elections Canada has implemented health and safety measures to protect workers and electors
Narrator: When you vote, poll workers will be wearing masks and be stationed behind plexiglass shields. There will also be:
Visual: Scene changes to a poll worker behind a plexiglass-shielded table.
Super: There will also be:
Visual: Scene fades. Hand sanitizer bottle appears.
Narrator: Hand sanitizer stations
Super: Hand sanitizer stations,
Super: hand sanitizer bottle fades. Two circles appear with a double-sided arrow between them representing 2 metres. An X appears on both circles.
Narrator: Clear physical distancing markers
Super: 2 metres – clear physical distancing markers,
Visual: Scene changes to a poll worker behind a plexiglass-shielded table. To the right of the poll worker is the dotted outline of a person.
Narrator: Only one poll worker per plexiglass-shielded table
Super: only one poll worker per plexiglass-shielded table.
Visual: Scene fades. A face mask appears.
Narrator: Don't forget to wear a mask.
Super: Don't forget to wear a mask.
Visual: Face mask fades. A pencil appears.
Narrator: We will provide you with a single-use pencil to mark your ballot, or you can bring your own pen or pencil.
Super: We will provide you with a single-use pencil to mark your ballot, or you can bring your own pen or pencil.
Visual: Pencil fades. Iconic healthcare symbol appears.
Narrator: Your health and safety is our priority.
Super: Your health and safety is our priority.
Visual: Iconic healthcare symbol fades. A thermometer appears. The red liquid in the thermometer rises.
Narrator: If you have tested positive for or have symptoms of COVID-19
Super: If you have tested positive for or have symptoms of COVID-19
Visual: Thermometer fades. Two characters appear. One character has an iconographic virus on their chest.
Narrator: or if you have been in contact with someone who has the virus
Super: or have been in contact with someone who has the virus,
Visual: Characters fade. The landing page for elections.ca appears.
Narrator: visit elections.ca to apply to vote by mail.
Super: visit elections.ca to apply to vote by mail.
Narrator: You have until the Tuesday before election day, 6:00 p.m., to apply.
Super: Scene fades. A postage-paid envelope marked with an X appears.
Super: Apply to vote by mail before the Tuesday before election day, 6:00 p.m. local time.
Visual: Envelope fades. A character with an iconographic virus on their chest appears.
Narrator: If you think you have COVID-19 and missed the deadline to vote by mail
Super: If you think you have COVID-19 and missed the deadline to vote by mail,
Visual: Character fades. A house appears.
Narrator: Follow your local health authority's guidelines and stay home.
Super: follow your local health authority's guidelines and stay home.
Visual: The screen changes to a coloured background with text.
Narrator: Stay safe. Vote safe.
Super: Stay safe. Vote safe.
Narrator: Visit elections.ca for the official information on voting and the health and safety measures in place
Super: elections.ca – Get the official information on voting and the health and safety measures in place
Narrator: or call 1-800-463-6868. TTY 1-800-361-8935.
Visual: Fades to black. A large X appears with the campaign tagline "It's Our Vote". The tagline fades while the X flies off to settle into the X in the Elections Canada logo that appears on screen. The URL elections.ca appears on screen, followed by the toll-free number 1-800-463-6868 and the TTY number 1-800-361-8935.
Super: X It's Our Vote
Super: Elections Canada logo – elections.ca – 1-800-463-6868 – TTY 1-800-361-8935
Election website
After the 44th general election was called, Elections Canada launched a dedicated website to inform voters about when, and the ways, to register and vote and about the health and safety measures in place.
To find out more, visit: Elections Canada - Home Page for the 2021 Federal Election.