This section presents findings on poll workers' overall evaluation of working conditions.
More than half (54%) said the working conditions they experienced were very good, while an additional 39% said the conditions were fairly good. In total, 93% of poll workers offered a positive assessment of the working conditions. Satisfaction with working conditions has changed little over time (92% in 2019 and 94% in 2015 versus 93% in 2021). The proportion of poll workers who described the working conditions as very good is the same as in 2019 (54%) but is lower than the 2015 results (63%).
Q66. Overall, would you say that the working conditions you experienced were…?
(Base: n=4,042; all respondents who worked at least one shift; DK/NR: <1%)
This vertical bar chart shows respondents' ratings of their working conditions. The breakdown is as follows:
Poll workers in British Columbia (92%) and Ontario (91%) were less likely to assess their working conditions as fairly or very good compared to officers in Manitoba (98%), Atlantic Canada (98%), Saskatchewan (96%), and Alberta (95%). Registration officers (95%) were more likely to assess their working conditions as fairly or very good compared to deputy returning officers (92%). Those who worked at First Nations communities (97%) were more likely to view the working conditions as fairly or very good compared with those who worked at a seniors' residence / long-term care facility (93%) or other polling place (93%).
Staff between the ages of 25 and 34 were less likely to view the working conditions as fairly or very good (88% compared to 94% of 16- to 24-year-olds, 93% of 35- to 54-year-olds, 94% of 55- to 64-year-olds, 94% of 65- to 74-year-olds, and 95% of those 75 and older).
Among poll workers who said the working conditions were poor (n=249), two in five (39%; down from 60% in 2019 but still up from 29% in 2015) pointed to a lack of breaks to explain why. Following this, 28% (down from 41% in 2019 and up from 22% in 2015) said the number of hours of work required were too long, 27% said more staff were needed, and 25% pointed to difficulties with other staff or supervisors. The full range of responses is depicted in Figure 53.
Q67. Why do you say that? [Up to three responses accepted].
(Base: n=249; respondents who said working conditions were poor; DK/NR: 4%)
This horizontal bar chart shows the reasons why respondents who said working conditions were poor viewed them as such. The breakdown is as follows:
The following were more likely to indicate lack of breaks as a reason why working conditions were poor:
The vast majority of poll workers (91%) said they did not experience harassment while working in the election. Eight percent (8%) did experience harassment in the workplace during the 2021 federal election. This represents a very slight increase from 2019, when 5% of poll workers reported that they had experienced harassment.
Q74. Did you experience harassment while working in the election?
(Base: n=4,042; all respondents who worked at least one shift; DK/NR: 1%)
This pie chart shows respondents' responses as to whether they experienced harassment while working in the election. The breakdown is as follows:
Regionally, poll workers in Alberta (12%), British Columbia (11%) and Ontario (9%) were more likely to have experienced harassment than those in Atlantic Canada (6%), Manitoba (5%) and Quebec (4%). The likelihood of experiencing harassment was higher among central poll supervisors (11%) and information officers (11%) than among registration officers (7%) and deputy returning officers (5%).
Among those who experienced harassment while working in the federal election (n=314), 7 in 10 (71%) said that they experienced verbal abuse, humiliating behaviour or threats. Following this, almost two in five (39%) said they experienced harassment related to COVID-19 safety measures, and 29% reported experiencing micro-aggressions. The full range of responses is demonstrated in Figure 55.
Q75. Would you say you were subjected to…? [Multiple responses accepted]. (Base: n=314; respondents who experienced harassment while working in the election; DK/NR: 1%)
This horizontal bar chart shows the types of harassment faced by respondents who experienced harassment while working in the election. The breakdown is as follows:
Poll workers in Saskatchewan (90%) were more likely to report verbal abuse, humiliating behaviour or threats than those in Alberta (62%) and British Columbia (58%). Registration officers (82%) were more likely than information officers (65%) to experience verbal abuse, humiliating behaviour or threats.
Poll workers in Alberta (54%) were more likely to report harassment related to COVID-19 safety measures at the polls compared with those in Ontario (32%) and Quebec (20%).
Among those who experienced harassment while working in the federal election (n=314), almost two-thirds (64%) said that they experienced harassment from electors. One in five (21%) experienced harassment from a superior, and 18% said they were harassed by a co-worker while working during the election.
Q76. From whom did you experience harassment while working during the election? [Multiple responses accepted].
(Base: n=314; respondents who experienced harassment while working in the election; DK/NR: 1%)
This horizontal bar chart shows the sources of harassment of respondents who experienced harassment while working in the election. The breakdown is as follows:
Approximately two in five (43%) poll workers were very satisfied with the hourly rate of pay, with an additional 43% saying they were somewhat satisfied with their pay. In total, therefore, 86% expressed modest or strong satisfaction with the hourly rate of pay. This represents a slight increase since 2019 and 2015, when 80% and 81% were somewhat or very satisfied with their pay, respectively.
Q62. How satisfied are you with your hourly rate of pay?
(Base: n=4,042; all respondents who worked at least one shift; DK/NR: 1%)
This vertical bar chart shows respondents' levels of satisfaction with their hourly rate of pay. The breakdown is as follows:
Respondents in Atlantic Canada (63%) and Manitoba (52%) were more likely to say they were very satisfied with their hourly rate of pay compared with other provinces (results range from 38% to 41%). Those between the ages of 16 and 24 were more likely to be very satisfied with their hourly pay (54%, compared to 40% and to 45% for those between the ages of 25 and 74).
Deputy returning officers (18%) were more likely to be dissatisfied with their hourly rate of pay than central poll supervisors (11%), information officers (10%), and registration officers (9%).
At the time of the survey, 97% of poll workers had received their paycheque for the time they worked during the election.
Q63. Have you received your pay cheque for the time you worked during the election?
(Base: n=4,042; all respondents who worked at least one shift)
This pie chart shows respondents' reports of whether or not they received their paycheque for the time they worked during the election. The breakdown is as follows:
Nine in 10 (91%) poll workers who said they had received their paycheque (n=3,918) felt that the time it took to receive their pay was either very (49%) or fairly (41%) reasonable. This is higher than in 2019, when 86% felt the time it took to receive their cheque was reasonable.
Q64. Was the time it took to receive your pay cheque…?
(Base: 3,918; respondents who said they received their paycheque; DK/NR: <1%)
This vertical bar chart shows the levels of satisfaction of respondents who had already received their paycheque with respect to the time it took to receive it. The breakdown is as follows:
Poll workers in British Columbia (13%) and Alberta (12%) were more likely to say the time it took to receive their pay was not reasonable, compared with those in Atlantic Canada (5%), Quebec (8%), and Ontario (8%). Poll workers who worked at polling places in First Nations communities (17%) were more likely to say the amount of time it took to receive their pay was unreasonable, compared with those who worked at seniors' residences / long-term care facilities (6%) or other polling places (9%).
Younger staff were generally less likely to say the time it took to receive their pay was reasonable: specifically, 81% of 16- to 24-year-olds, 86% of 35- to 54-year-olds and 87% of 25- to 34-year-olds said the wait time was reasonable, compared to 92% of 55- to 64-year-olds, 96% of 65- to 74-year-olds and 96% of staff aged 75 and older.
Three in five (60%) poll workers who had not yet received their paycheque (n=92) said the time it was taking was not very (23%) or not at all (38%) reasonable.
Q65. Is the time it is taking to receive your pay cheque…?
(Base: n=92; respondents who said they have not received their paycheque; DK/NR: 5%)
This vertical bar chart shows the levels of satisfaction of respondents who have not already received their paycheque with respect to the time it is taking to receive it. The breakdown is as follows:
The sample size is too small to allow discussion of differences between subgroups.