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Home > Guides > Voting by mail in Canada
Apply to Elections Canada for a mail-in ballot kit, prove your identity, and return your marked ballot so it arrives by the deadline. Any elector can vote by mail, including Canadians living abroad and voters in Canada who cannot reach a polling station. The kit includes a special ballot, envelopes, and instructions.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Apply | Request a special ballot kit from Elections Canada online or at any Elections Canada office; applications close the Tuesday before election day |
| 2. Prove who you are | Provide proof of identity and address with your application |
| 3. Receive the kit | A special ballot, secrecy envelope, return envelope, and instructions arrive by mail |
| 4. Mark and return | Write in your candidate's name, seal the envelopes, and mail it back in time |
Any qualified elector: a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older on election day. Unlike the US, there is no separate absentee system with eligibility hoops; if you cannot get to a polling station, you can use the special ballot. Canadians living abroad can vote by mail too, provided they meet the residency history rules Elections Canada sets out. You do not need to give a reason for voting by mail instead of in person.
One thing that surprises first-timers: the special ballot has no printed candidate names. You write in the name of the candidate you are voting for. That makes the candidate list worth checking before you mark anything; Elections Canada publishes the confirmed candidates for your riding, and a misspelled name can still count if the intent is clear, but do not rely on that.
Apply online through elections.ca or in person at any Elections Canada office, including the returning office in your riding. You will need proof of identity and of your address, the same ID rules that apply at the polls. The application deadline is the Tuesday before election day, so do not leave it to the final week: the kit itself has to reach you by mail, and then your completed ballot has to travel back.
Within Canada, the return postage is prepaid, so the envelope goes back at no cost to you. From outside Canada, you pay the postage yourself, and international mail times mean applying early is even more important. Your ballot must arrive by the deadline Elections Canada sets; late ballots are not counted, and there is no postmark grace period to save a slow envelope.
Elections Canada's online voter services let you check the status of a special ballot application. If you spoil the ballot while marking it, contact Elections Canada about a replacement rather than trying to fix it yourself; a crossed-out write-in invites disputes. And once you have voted by special ballot, you cannot also vote in person: the system flags it, and voting twice is an offence under the Canada Elections Act.
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