Detailed Findings - Survey of Election Officers for the 44^th Federal General Election

1. Profile of Election Officers

This section provides information about some characteristics of the election officers who participated in the survey.

Many say they became aware of the opportunity to work in the election through word of mouth or through previous election experience.

Election officers most often became aware of the opportunity to work at the 2021 federal election through word of mouth from friends, relatives, or colleagues (35%), or because they worked in a previous election (33%). Fewer became aware of the opportunity to work in the federal election through Elections Canada's website (13%) or by being contacted by a Returning Officer or local Elections Canada office (11%). The full range of responses is depicted below in Figure 1.

Election officers from the Atlantic region (41%) were more likely than those from Saskatchewan (36%), British Columbia (33%), Quebec (33%), Ontario (32%), Alberta (28%), and Manitoba (30%) to have heard of the opportunity to work in the federal election through having worked in a previous election.

Information officers (42%) were more likely than officers working in other positions to have learned about the opportunity to work in the federal election through word of mouth. Central Poll supervisors (47%) were more likely to have become aware of the opportunity because they had worked in a previous election.

Election officers working at polls located in First Nations communities (22%) were less likely than those working in seniors' residences or long-term care facilities (33%) or in other communities (33%) to have learned of the opportunity through working in a previous election.

The likelihood of becoming aware of the opportunity through word of mouth was highest among 16- to 24-year-olds (60%) and lowest among those aged 75 and older (22%). Conversely, the likelihood of having learned of the opportunity through working in a previous election generally increased with age, from 14% of 16- to 24-year-olds to 54% of those aged 75 and older.

Most applied through the Elections Canada website

Six in 10 (62%) election officers indicated that they applied through the Elections Canada website. A further 2 in 10 (20%) said they applied because someone at the local Elections Canada office asked them to work at the polls. Other methods for applying were mentioned in smaller proportions, as demonstrated below in Figure 2.

The likelihood of applying through the Elections Canada website generally decreased with age, from 75% of 16- to 24-year-olds to 44% of those aged 75 and older.

Central Poll Supervisors (53%) were less likely than those working in other positions to have applied through the Elections Canada website.

Almost half had no previous experience working as an election officer

Forty-seven percent (47%) of election officers had no previous experience working as an election officer in a federal or provincial election. In contrast, 24% said they had previously worked in a federal or provincial election, 22% in only a provincial election, and 7% in only a federal election.

Majority of election officers are female

The majority of election officers are female (65%), while approximately one-third (34%) are male and less than 1% have another gender.

Many election officers were between the ages of 55 and 74

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of election officers are between the ages of 55 and 74 (28% are between 55 and 64, while 31% are 65 to 74). One-third (34%) are under 55 years of age, and few are aged 75 or older (7%).

Half are retired

Half (49%) of the election officers surveyed said they are retired, 14% are employed full-time, and 11% are employed part-time.

Many have completed post-secondary studies

Many election officers have completed post-secondary studies: 21% completed college, 24% completed university, and 12% completed a post-graduate university degree. Seventeen percent (17%) have completed some post-secondary studies, an additional 17% have completed high school, and 7% have not completed high school.

Household incomes varies, but the plurality report incomes under $60,000

Forty-one percent (41%) of election officers reported household incomes of under $60,000 a year, including 16% with annual incomes between $20,000 and $39,999 and 17% with annual incomes between $40,000 and $59,999. A little over one-third (36%) of officers reported annual household incomes of $60,000 or more.

One in 5 election officers has a disability

When respondents were asked whether they experience a number of conditions, 20% identified at least one of the conditions indicating they have some level of disability, while 77% had none of the listed conditions. The full range of conditions can be found in Figure 9.

A majority speak English most often

A majority of election officers (68%) speak English most often at home. Approximately one-quarter (24%) speak French, while 7% speak a language other than English or French.

Four in five born in Canada; nearly four in five are white

Four in five election officers (82%) were born in Canada. Seventeen percent (17%) were born outside of Canada. Four percent (4%) of respondents identified as either First Nations, Métis, or Inuk.

Among those who were not Indigenous, four in five (79%) characterized their ethnic or cultural background as white. The full range of backgrounds can be found in Figure 11.

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