Note: split samples for questions asking about satisfaction levels should follow one track; either "a" or "b". A respondent should only be presented with either a 5 point scale or 4 point scale response choices.
Name: ______
Hello, my name is ________. I'm calling on behalf of Ekos Research Associates, a public opinion research company. We have been commissioned by Elections Canada to conduct a survey with candidates who ran in the october 21st, 2019 federal election.
If asked: the purpose of this survey is to explore the candidate's experiences during the election, including their perceptions of the services and products provided by Elections Canada.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Stéphane Perrault [Pronounce: per-ro], recently sent a letter to each candidate about this initiative.
A) May I please speak with ____? If speaking with candidate, continue to b.
B) Your participation in the survey is voluntary and all responses will be kept strictly confidential - no individuals or organizations will be identified in any way. The interview takes about 15 minutes. Are you willing to take part? We can do it now or at a time more convenient for you.
[If asked how we got their information]: Elections Canada shared with Ekos the contact information solely as a part of this research. The information was extracted from the candidates' nomination papers provided to the returning officers. This use of personal information is consistent with the purpose for which it was obtained by Elections Canada, and is also consistent with the Privacy Act.
P1 [0,1]
If PINTRO = 3
Refused Paragraphs C*/D**
*Include C only if the respondent/gatekeeper seems to question the validity of this project, otherwise go directly to D. Include D if it seems the respondent would be open to an alternative means to collect the information.
C) May I re-send you the letter sent by Elections Canada that provides background information about this study? I can send this by email or fax.
[If still unsure about the legitimacy of the survey]: If you would like to ensure that this survey is run by Elections Canada, you can call their toll-free number at 1-800-463-6868. Their hours of operation are monday to friday, from 9:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time). You can also contact susan galley, from Ekos Research Associates, at 613-235-7215 extension #123. Ekos is conducting this study on behalf of Elections Canada.
P2 [0,1]
If PINTRO = 3
D) Would you like me to give you a 1-800 number that can be called to schedule an interview at your convenience?
P3 [0,1]
If PINTRO = 3
E) If more convenient, the survey could also be completed online. In this case, we would send you an email with a password and link to the questionnaire.
Priv
Please note that this call may be recorded for quality control or training purposes. Any personal information collected is subject to the federal Privacy Act and will be held in strict confidence. By taking part in this survey, you consent to the use of your answers for research and statistical purposes. The anonymous database of all responses may be shared with external researchers under the strict condition that no personal information is ever distributed or made public.
[If asked about privacy]: any personal information collected is subject to the federal Privacy Act and will be held in strict confidence. If you have any reason to believe that your personal information has not been handled in accordance with the Privacy Act, you have a right to complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Would you like me to give you the contact information?
[If asked]
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Tty: (819) 994-6591
Web: go to www.priv.gc.ca and click "report a concern"
To begin, I'd like to ask you some general questions about the recent federal election.
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. overall, how satisfied were you with the way the federal election was administered by Elections Canada in your riding? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. overall, how satisfied were you with the way the federal election was administered by Elections Canada in your riding? Were you...(Read list)
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you with the way the returning officer ran it in your riding? Please use the same 5-point scale.
[If asked: '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.]
b. How satisfied were you with the way the returning officer ran it in your riding? Would you say that you were ...(Read list)
If Q.2a. = 1, 2 Or Q.2b. = 3,4
Why were you dissatisfied with the way the returning officer ran the election in your riding?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
I'd now like to ask you some questions about your experience with the nomination process with Elections Canada during the recent federal election.
How easy was it to comply with the nomination requirements? Would you say this was...(Read list)
[If asked: this refers to the Elections Canada nomination process with the returning officer (RO) for any eligible candidate wishing to run in the 43rd general election, either as an independent candidate or as a candidate endorsed by a political party.]
If Q.4 = 3,4
Why was this not easy?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded answers
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you with the returning officer's timeliness in processing your nomination? Please use the same 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
Split sample
a. Did you encounter any difficulties in finding an official agent?
b. Did you encounter any difficulties in finding an auditor?
If Q.7a = 1 or Q.7b = 1
What were they?
[Phone] (Do not read items. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded answers
Overall, how well informed did you feel about Elections Canada's nomination process? Would you say that you were...(Read list)
(If asked: this refers to the Elections Canada nomination process with the returning officer (RO) for any eligible candidate wishing to run in the 43rd general election, either as an independent candidate or as a candidate endorsed by a political party.)
In 2019, Elections Canada introduced the Political Entities Service Centre (PESC), commonly known as the portal, providing candidates the opportunity to file electronically their nomination and financial reports.
Did you, or any of your representative, use the portal? (Select all that apply)
What did you, or your representative, use the portal for? (Randomize) (Select all that apply)
[Phone] Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with the following statements about the portal? (Do not read items; only if needed)
[Web] How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
How satisfied were you, or your representative, with the overall user experience of the portal? Were you ...(Read list)
[If the candidate did not use it personnally: how satisfied was your representative with the overall user experience of the portal? Was he or she...]
If Q.10 = 4
Why did you not use the portal?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded answers
I'd now like to ask you some questions about the products and services provided by Elections Canada during the election.
Which of the following Elections Canada products did you use? Did you use...(Randomize, read list and select all that apply)
(If asked: A Statement of the electors who voted on polling day, also called the "bingo sheet", was made available to candidates and their representatives. This form was used to record the identifier number of electors who came to vote. It was provided on a regular basis on Election Day and at the end of advance voting days.)
(If asked: Under the "Spread the Word" initiative, Elections Canada provided various tools, including booklets, infographics, videos, informational flyers, icons for websites and advertising, on voting and registration, for the general population, youth and electors with a disability.)
(If asked: The Maps of Polling Place Service Areas included maps of the polling sites, the advance polling districts, and electoral geography documents.)
If Q.15 = 1
In your opinion, which format of the updated lists of polling stations was most useful?
If Q.15 = 2
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you with the overall quality of the list of electors? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. How satisfied were you with the overall quality of the lists? Would you say that you were ...(Read list)
If Q.15 = 4
Which of the following EC's tools to communicate with electors were the most useful for your campaign? (Randomize, read list and select all that apply.)
If Q.15 = 6
Which format of the maps of polling place service areas did you use? Did you use ...(Check all that apply.)
(If asked: the Event Map Viewer is the interactive online version of the polling place service areas which allows candidates to view geographic elements including polling divisions, polling districts and municipalities, as well as print polling division maps.)
If Q.19 = 3
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you with the Event Map Viewer? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. How satisfied were you with the Event Map Viewer? Were you ...(Read list)
If Q.20a. = 1, 2 Or Q.20b. = 3,4
Is there a specific reason why you were dissatisfied?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Thinking about what you needed to run your campaign, how useful were Elections Canada's products? Were they ...(Read list)
If Q.22 = 3,4
Which Elections Canada's products did you think were not useful?
[Phone] (Do not read. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Select all that apply)
Pre-coded responses
The returning officer in your riding organized an "all candidates briefing" for the general election. Could you tell us if...:
[Phone] (Read list. Select all that apply)
[Web] (Select all that apply)
If Q.24 = 1, 2, 3
How useful was the briefing? Was it ...(Read list)
Split sample
During the election, did you, or any of your representatives, contact...:
a. Elections Canada with the 1-800 support line for candidates?
b. The local Elections Canada office?
If Q.26a = 1
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you, or your representative, with the services you received from the local Elections Canada office? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. How satisfied were you, or your representative, with the services you received from the local Elections Canada office? Were you ...(Read all)
If Q.26b = 1
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. How satisfied were you, or your representative, with the services you received from the 1-800 support line for candidates? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. How satisfied were you, or your representative, with the services you received from the 1-800 support line for candidates? Were you ...(Read list)
I'd now like to ask you some questions about some dimensions of your electoral campaign.
Did you provide a list of names of election staff to work at the polling stations to the returning officer?
[If asked: the list concerns individuals that the candidate proposes to the returning officer to be hired to work at advance polling stations and at polling stations on Election Day. This does not include candidates' campaign staff members.]
If Q.28 = 2
Why did you not provide a list of names?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Did you take any measures to ensure the protection of personal information contained in the voters' lists that you received?
If Q.30 = 1
What measures did you take to ensure the protection of personal information?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Did you take any measures to ensure that your campaign's materials, events or website were accessible to electors with a disability?
If Q.32 = 1
Which measures did you take to make your campaign accessible?
[Phone](Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
The Canada Elections Act provides for partial reimbursement of elections expenses as well as some personal expenses like childcare costs and expenses related to a disability.
When deciding to run as a candidate, were you aware of these financial incentives?
If Q.34 = 1
What impact, if any, did these financial incentives have on your decision to run in the last general election? Did they have a ...(Read list)
I'd now like to ask you some questions about your experience with the voting process during the 43rd general election.
(Note: Candidate may have different views about some of the options available for voting and therefore be unsure of an overall rating.)
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. What was your level of satisfaction with the locations chosen as polling sites for advance polls and Election Day? Please indicate your level of satisfaction using a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
b. How satisfied were you with the locations chosen as polling sites for advance polls and Election Day? Were you ...(Read list)
If Q.36a. = 1, 2 Or Q.36b. = 3,4
Why were you dissatisfied with the location of the polling sites?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. What was your level of satisfaction with the way the voting process went on advance polls and Election Day? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
b. How satisfied were you with the way the voting process went on advance polls and Election Day? Were you ...(Read list)
If Q.39a = 1, 2 or Q.39b = 3,4
Why were you dissatisfied with the voting process?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Split sample
[If asked: this question is about voter identification at the polls, when the election officer is verifying the proof of identity and residence of an elector.]
[Note to interviewer: please select the option 'was/were not there' if a candidate's response is similar to 'i don't know, I wasn't present/there']
a. Did you, or your representative, witness any problems related to the voter identification requirements?
b. Did you, or your representative, witness any problems related to the use of the Voter Information Card (VIC) as a piece of identification?
If Q.40a. = 1
What problems were witnessed?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
If Q.40b. = 1
What problems did you witness regarding the use of the VIC (Voter Information Card) as a piece of identification?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
How often did you observe those problems? (Read list)
Thinking about the october 21, federal election, would you say that Elections Canada ran the election ? [Emphasize "Elections Canada"] ...(Read list)
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. overall, how satisfied were you with your interactions with the returning officer? Please use a 5-point scale, where '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
(Accept 'does not apply' if candidate had no interactions with returning officer)
b. Overall, how satisfied were you with your interactions with the returning officer? Were you ...(Read list)
(Accept 'does not apply' if candidate had no interactions with returning officer)
Split sample (Track a or b)
a. all things considered, how satisfied were you with the overall quality of service you received from Elections Canada in the most recent federal election? Please use the same 5-point scale.
[If asked: '1' is very dissatisfied, '5' is very satisfied, and '3' is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.]
a.
Thinking about the services you received from Elections Canada during the election, what is your main suggestion, if anything, to improve those services?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three suggestions. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded responses
Provide more information about available products or tools that are
The next questions are about technology and the way federal elections are conducted.
[Phone] Split sample in 3
Based on what you have seen or heard recently, do you think [insert statement] was a problem in this election?
a. Hacking by foreign countries or groups into the computer systems that support the election.
b. Foreign countries or groups using social media and other means to influence the political opinions of canadians.
c. The spread of false information online.
[Web] (Grid. Rows/Rotate a-c.)
Based on what you have seen or heard recently, do you think any of the following were a problem in this election?
a. Hacking by foreign countries or groups into the computer systems that support the election.
b. Foreign countries or groups using social media and other means to influence the political opinions of canadians.
c. The spread of false information online.
If Q.49a, 49b or 49c = 1
What impact, if any, do you think this had on the outcome of the election? (Read list)
Split sample
a. In a canadian federal election, workers at the polls use paper lists to find a voter's name and keep track of who voted. In some provincial elections, poll workers use computers or tablets to do this electronically. Which method do you prefer?
[If asked: This refers to lists used by poll staff during the voter identification process, not the lists of electors that are provided to candidates.]
b. In canadian federal elections, each paper ballot is counted by hand. In some provincial elections, paper ballots are scanned into a machine that counts the votes. Which vote counting method do you prefer?
Split sample
a. Do you think that electors should be able to vote by using the Internet?
b. Which statement comes closest to your own view? (Randomize)
Now we'll move on to some questions about Canadian democracy.
Overall, how satisfied are you with the way democracy works in Canada? Are you...(Read list)
If Q.53 = 3, 4
Is there a specific reason why you are dissatisfied with the way democracy works in Canada?
[Phone] (Do not read. Accept up to three responses. Do not probe for more responses.)
[Web] (Open question)
Pre-coded answers
[Phone] Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that the voting age in a federal election should be lowered from 18 to 16 years old? (Do not read items.)
[Web] How strongly do you agree or disagree that the voting age in a federal election should be lowered from 18 to 16 years old?
Split sample
[Phone] Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that ...(Do not read items.)
[Web] How strongly do you agree or disagree that
[If asked: in some countries, there are rules or incentives in place to ensure political parties run candidates from certain groups.]
a. Political parties should be required to have more women candidates?
b. political parties should receive a financial incentive for having more women candidates?
The last few questions are for classification purposes only. Please be assured that your answers will remain completely confidential.
Including the october 2019 election, how many times have you run as a candidate at the federal level?
(Do not read. Accept absolute number only; not a range. If asked, include federal general elections and by-elections)
(Record number of times as candidate)
What language do you speak most often at home?
For the purposes of this survey only, do you identify as having a disability?
If Q.59= 1
Would you please provide whether you have any of the following conditions? (Select all that apply.)
Were you born in Canada?
If Q.61 = 2
In what year did you become a citizen of Canada?
What is your ethnic or cultural background?
[Do not read. Accept only one reply; use 97 for mixed / multiple ethnicities and Jewish.]
| Group | Includes |
|---|---|
| 01 White / Caucasian | English-Canadian, French-Canadian, Quebecois And Non-Visible Minority (Includes English, Irish, Scottish, German, French, Italian) |
| 02 Chinese | Chinese, Hong Kongese, Taiwanese |
| 03 East Asian | Japanese, Korean |
| 04 South Asian / East Indian | Bangladeshi, Bengali, Bruneian, Gujarati, East Indian, Indo Pakistani, Mauritian, Mayotte, Mongolian, Pakistani, Punjabi, Singhalese, Sri Lankan, Tamil |
| 05 South East Asian | Vietnamese, Cambodian, Malaysian, Laotian, Indonesian, Singaporean, Burmese, Kampuchean, Thai |
| 06 Filipino | |
| 07 Black (Africa, Caribbean) | Angolan, Anguillan, Antiguan, Aruba/Netherlands Antilles, Bahamian, Barbadian, Belizean, Beninese, Bermudan, Botswanan, Burkinabe, Burundian, Cameroonian, Cape Verde Islands, Cayman Islands, Central African, Chadian, Comoros Islands, Congolais, Dominican, Equatorial Guinean, Ethiopian, Gabonese, Gambian, Ghanaian, Grenadian, Guadeloupian, Guinean, Guinea-Bissauan, Guyanese, Haitian, Ivorian, Jamaican, Kenyan, Lesothan, Liberian, Malagasy, Malawian, Malian, Martinican / French Guiana, Montserratan, Mozambican, Namibian, Nevisitian, Nigerois, Nigerian, Rwandan, Vicentian / Grenadines, Saint Lucian, Senegalese, Trinidadian, Tobagonian, West Indian, Other Caribbean, Other African |
| 08 Latin American | All Central And South American Countries, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico. |
| 09 West Asian / North African /Arab | Afghan, Algerian, Armenian, Bahrain, Bhutanese, Egyptian, Iranian, Iraqi, Israeli, Jordanian, Kurdish, Kuwaiti, Lebanese, Libyan, Maghrebi Origins, Mauritanian, Moroccan, Nepalese, Omani, Palestinian, Yemenite, Saudi Arabian, Syrian, Turk |
| 10 Pacific Islands | Fijian, Melanesian, Micronesian, Polynesian, Tongan, Tuvaluan, Wake Island, Samoan, American Samoa, Coral Sea Islands Territory, Kiribatian, Nauruan, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Island, Tokelau, Pitcairn Islands, Trust Territory Of The Pacific Islands, Vanuatuan, Wallis And Futuna Islands, Cook Islands, Johnston Atoll, Guam, Midway Islands, New Caledonian |
| 11 Indigenous | First Nations, Métis, Inuit |
| 97 Other Visible Minorities Or Mixed Ethnicity (Including Jewish), Please Specify | Record |
What is the highest level of education that you have reached?
([Phone] Do not read – code one only)
What was the total annual income of all members of your household combined, before taxes, in 2018?
This concludes the survey. If you wish, we can inform you once the study is published on Elections Canada and library and archives' websites in 2020.
If interested: in this case, could you provide us with an e-mail address where we can send the notice?
email address: CandidateEmail2
No email address: Elections Canada will publish a report on its website once completed. You will be able to access the report there.
If asked: their website address is www.elections.ca.
If asked: Elections Canada did not indicate the exact date when the results would be published.
Thank you for your time and feedback.