Elections Canada

All you want to know about Elections Canada

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Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process. Elections Canada is the sole agency responsible for administering Canadian federal elections. Elections Canada was also responsible for administering the territorial elections in Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Mandate

Its responsibilities include:

Making sure that all voters have access to the electoral system
Informing citizens about the electoral system
Maintaining the National Register of Electors
Enforcing electoral legislation
Training election officers
Producing maps of electoral districts
Registering political parties, electoral district associations, and third parties that engage in election advertising
Administering the allowances paid to registered political parties
Monitoring election spending by candidates, political parties and third parties
Publishing financial information on political parties, electoral district associations, candidates, nomination contestants, leadership contestants and third parties
Supporting the independent commissions responsible for adjusting the boundaries of federal electoral districts every ten years
Reporting to Parliament on the administration of elections and referendums

The Canadian House of Commons appoints the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada to head the agency. The Chief Electoral Officer in turn appoints the Commissioner of Canada Elections, who ensures that the Canada Elections Act is enforced; and the Broadcasting Arbitrator, who allocates paid and free broadcasting time during electoral events. The Chief Electoral Officer is seconded by the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and Chief Legal Counsel and a staff of some 330 representing five executive directorates. During an election, staff at Elections Canada headquarters increases to 600 and to approximately 190,000 across Canada.

External links

Canada's electoral regulatory bodies
Federal: Elections Canada
Provincial: Elections Alberta - Elections BC - Elections Saskatchewan - Elections Ontario - Elections Manitoba - Office of the Chief Electoral Officer New Brunswick - Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec - Elections Newfoundland & Labrador - Elections Nova Scotia - Elections Prince Edward Island
Territorial: Elections NWT - Elections Nunavut - Elections Yukon