National Electors Study following the 44th Canadian Federal Election

Report on Voter Experience

Prepared for Elections Canada

September 2022

Supplier name: Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. / Advanis
Contract Number: 05005-20-0676
Contract Value: $756,867.40 (incl. applicable sales tax)
Award Date: March 1, 2021
Delivery Date: Septembre 20, 2022

For more information on this report, contact Elections Canada at rop-por@elections.ca.

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français

Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc.
1678 Bank Street, Ste. 2
Ottawa, ON K1V 7Y6
www.phoenixspi.ca
1-844-960-1700
info@phoenixspi.ca

National Electors Study following the 44th Canadian Federal Election
Report on Voter Experience
Final Report

Prepared for Elections Canada

Supplier name: Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. / Advanis

This public opinion research report presents the results of the voter information campaign research conducted to help evaluate the September 20, 2021, federal election.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Elections Canada. For more information on this report, contact Elections Canada at rop-por@elections.ca.

Catalogue Number:
SE3-114/2-2022E-PDF

Related publications:

• Catalogue number: SE3-114/2-2022E-PDF (Final report, French)
• Numéro international normalisé du livre (ISBN): 978-0-660-46418-3

© Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, 2022.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre :Étude nationale auprès des électeurs à la suite de la 44^e élection générale fédérale canadienne : Rapport sur l'expérience des électeurs

Printable PDF version

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  1. Background and Objectives
  2. Methodology
  3. Notes to the Reader
• Detailed Findings
  1. Attitudes and Past Voting Behaviour
  2. Voter Registration
  3. Contact with Elections Canada
  4. Voter Participation
  5. Getting to the Polling Place
  6. Experience at the Polling Place
  7. Voter Identification
  8. Vote-by-Mail Experience
  9. Accessible Voting Services
  10. Satisfaction with Elections Canada and the Voting Process
  11. Trust in Elections Canada and the Election Results
  12. Opinions on Election-related Technology, Privacy and Political Communications
  13. Concerns about Electoral Integrity Issues
• Profile of Survey Respondents

List of Figures

• Figure 1: Interest in politics
• Figure 2: Is voting a duty or a choice?
• Figure 3: Voting in the 2019 federal election
• Figure 4: Registered or updated information during the election
• Figure 5: Ease of registration
• Figure 6: Method used to check/update voter registration
• Figure 7: Methods used to contact EC during the campaign
• Figure 8: Satisfaction with service received from contacting EC
• Figure 9: Satisfaction with experience on EC website
• Figure 10: Vote intention and participation
• Figure 11: Main reason for not voting in GE
• Figure 12: Method used to vote in the GE
• Figure 13: Time of day when went to vote – election day
• Figure 14: Time of day when went to vote – advance poll
• Figure 15: Means of transportation used when going to vote
• Figure 16: Time to get to the polls: expected versus actual
• Figure 17: Familiarity of polling place location
• Figure 18: Ease of accessing the polling place
• Figure 19: Suitability of polling site
• Figure 20: Space for physical distancing at polling places
• Figure 21: COVID-19 health and safety of voting in person: expectations versus experience
• Figure 22: Brought VIC to the polls
• Figure 23: Time it took to vote: expected versus actual
• Figure 24: Ease of meeting ID requirements
• Figure 25: Ease of applying for special ballot
• Figure 26: Time it took to receive ballot in the mail
• Figure 27: Time it took to receive ballot in the mail was reasonable
• Figure 28: Ease of completing the special ballot
• Figure 29: Awareness of services and tools for electors with disabilities
• Figure 30: Ease of access to accessible information for voters
• Figure 31: Satisfaction with assistance marking ballot
• Figure 32: Sensitivity of poll staff with regard to elector's disability
• Figure 33: Satisfaction with services provided by EC staff when voting
• Figure 34: Ease of voting: expectations versus experience
• Figure 35: Satisfaction with the overall voting experience
• Figure 36: Perception that EC ran the election fairly
• Figure 37: Expected time it would take to know the results
• Figure 38: Trust in accuracy of the results
• Figure 39: Confidence in Canadian institutions
• Figure 40: Confidence in EC
• Figure 41: Satisfaction with the way democracy works in Canada
• Figure 42: Preferred ballot-counting method
• Figure 43: Preferred method for keeping lists of electors at the polls
• Figure 44: Views on voting on the Internet as risky versus safe
• Figure 45: Views on whether voting over the Internet should be an option in federal elections
• Figure 46: Trust in EC to protect the personal information of Canadians
• Figure 47: Views on political parties' collection and use of personal information
• Figure 48: Views on appropriate ways political parties contact electors
• Figure 49: Methods political parties used to contact electors
• Figure 50: Opinions on the integrity of the voting system and voting by mail in Canada
• Figure 51: Recall of false information about voting during the election period
• Figure 52: Election-period concerns about the potential electoral interference on the election outcome
• Figure 53: Post-election perception that electoral interference was a problem in the GE
• Figure 54: Electors' perceptions of the impact of problems of foreign interference on election outcome

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