Canadians who have reached the age of 18 and are temporarily residing outside the country may vote by special ballot in an election or referendum.  They must have returned to Canada within the last five years – at least for a visit (with some exceptions) – and intend to return to live in Canada.

The five-year limit does not apply to:

• electors who are employees of the federal public service or a provincial public service, posted outside the country, or people living with them;
• electors who are working outside the country for an international organization of which Canada is a member and to which it contributes, or people living with them;
  
• people living with members of the Canadian Forces outside the country or with civilians who are teachers or members of the administrative support staff at Canadian Forces schools outside the country.

Registration

Elections Canada keeps a permanent register of Canadian electors temporarily residing outside the country. Electors may register at any time by sending Elections Canada an Application for Registration and Special Ballot form.  This form may be requested by mail, by telephone or by fax from Elections Canada.  It can also be downloaded from Elections Canada’s Web site.

To exercise the right to vote during an electoral event underway, the elector’s completed application must be received by Elections Canada in Ottawa before 6:00 p.m., Ottawa time, on the sixth day before polling day.  The application may be sent by fax.  It must be accompanied by a photocopy of proof of citizenship (a copy – never the original – of a passport, citizenship certificate or birth or baptismal certificate attesting that the elector was born in Canada).  Elections Canada verifies the elector’s identity and determines his or her riding.

Manner of voting

Elections Canada sends a personalized voting kit to every elector registered in the permanent register of Canadian electors temporarily residing outside the country.

The elector must obtain the names of the candidates in his or her riding.  These names can be found on the Elections Canada Web site (www.elections.ca), obtained by calling the Elections Canada Enquiries Unit, or through Canadian diplomatic missions and consular posts after the candidates have been confirmed, on the 19th day before election day.  A list of the candidates in the elector’s riding may be included in the voting kit if the kit is sent after the candidates have been confirmed.

To vote, the elector must first complete and sign the declaration on the outer envelope that forms part of the voting kit.  The declaration states that the elector’s name is as shown on the envelope and that he or she has not already voted in the election underway.  The elector then completes the ballot by writing on it the name of one of the candidates in his or her riding and then inserting the ballot into the series of envelopes in accordance with the instructions provided.

Finally, the elector is responsible for ensuring that Elections Canada in Ottawa receives the ballot no later than 6:00 p.m., Ottawa time, on polling day.  The ballot must be sent in the envelopes provided.  A ballot received by any other means, including fax, will not be counted.  The Act also prohibits counting ballots received after the deadline.