What You Need to Bring to The Ballot Box

Elections Canada Allows Voters to Identify Themselves in a Few Ways

The big voting day is here; Canadians go to cast a ballot to elect a new Prime Minister today. But what ID do you need to bring in order to vote?

Elections Canada makes it easy to get to the ballot box, with three options to identify yourself when you get there:

So long as you’ve got a driver’s licence or similar piece of government-issued ID, and it contains your current address, it should be easy to mark your ‘X’ on the ballot. If you don’t possess one of these forms, you have another option.

Elections Canada will accept two pieces of ID that back each other up; a piece of ID that does not list your current address can be presented along with a utility bill, like your cellphone or cable bill, so long as your current address is stated. Otherwise, you’ll need to depend on option three.

Option three is a relatively new option with election officials; signing a solemn declaration requires bringing with you someone who possesses enough ID to satisfy the requirements from options one or two, and also is assigned to the same polling station as you.

Elections Canada will accept the following forms of identification:

From a government or government agency 

  • band membership card
  • birth certificate
  • Canadian citizenship card or certificate
  • Canadian Forces identity card
  • Canadian passport
  • card issued by an Inuit local authority
  • firearms licence
  • government cheque or cheque stub
  • government statement of benefits
  • health card
  • income tax assessment
  • Indian status card or temporary confirmation of registration
  • library card
  • licence or card issued for fishing, trapping or hunting
  • liquor identity card
  • Métis card
  • old age security card
  • parolee card
  • property tax assessment or evaluation
  • public transportation card
  • social insurance number card
  • vehicle ownership
  • Veterans Affairs health care identification card

From Elections Canada

  • targeted revision form to residents of long-term care institutions
  • voter information card

From an educational institution

  • correspondence issued by a school, college or university
  • student identity card

From a health care facility or organization

  • blood donor card
  • CNIB card
  • hospital card
  • label on a prescription container
  • identity bracelet issued by a hospital or long-term care institution
  • medical clinic card

From a financial institution

  • bank statement
  • credit card
  • credit card statement
  • credit union statement
  • debit card
  • insurance certificate, policy or statement
  • mortgage contract or statement
  • pension plan statement
  • personal cheque

From a private organization

  • employee card
  • residential lease or sub-lease
  • utility bill (e.g.: electricity; water; telecommunications services including telephone, cable or satellite)

Letters of confirmation

  • letter from a public curator, public guardian or public trustee
  • letter of confirmation of residence from a First Nations band or reserve or an Inuit local authority
  • letter of confirmation of residence, letter of stay, admission form, or statement of benefits from one of the following designated establishments:
    • student residence
    • seniors’ residence
    • long-term care institution
    • shelter
    • soup kitchen
    • a community-based residential facility

Additional pieces of ID may be added. They accept e-statements and e-invoices. Print them or show them on a mobile device.

This list of accepted ID is also available in multiple languages. For the list in other formats, such as Braille and audio, call 1-800-463-6868.

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