I messed up — can I get a revote? Your voting questions answered

Mouhamad Rachini · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 20, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

This story came from audience members, like you, who got in touch with us. Send your election questions to ask@cbc.ca.

Now that advance polls are open, many Canadians have questions about how and where they will vote, as well as some potential scenarios they'd like to avoid.

The Ask CBC News team has been on the receiving end of some of those queries, and we're here to help. Here are the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about voting. 

Can I just go to a voting station and vote or do I have to register first?

You must be registered to vote, but you will have the option of registering at your assigned polling location on election day or at an advance polling station. 

Most Canadians who are eligible to vote are already registered in the National Register of Electors. You can check if you're registered on the Online Voter Registration Service or by calling Elections Canada. 

You can also register to vote through the same portal, but if you do, you must register before April 22.

Can I vote at any polling station or do I have to vote at my assigned polling station?

Each voter is assigned a specific polling station based on their location. You can find where yours is on your voter information card or by entering your postal code on the Elections Canada website. You can also get the address of your polling station by contacting the Elections Canada office in your electoral district. 

If you plan on voting at advance polls or on election day, you will have to go to your assigned polling station. 

You can also choose to vote by special ballot, which gives you the option of going to any Elections Canada office in Canada and voting there, but you will have to do that before April 22 at 6 p.m.

What if there is no candidate in my riding for the party I want to vote for? 

You can only vote for the candidates in your riding. If a party chooses not to run a candidate in your riding, you won't be able to vote for that party.

Can I write in a candidate who's not in my riding if I vote by special ballot?

No, and if you do, the ballot will be rejected.

When voting by special ballot, the polling agent prints a sticker with barcode and name of the electoral district associated with the voter's ID. That goes on an outer envelope. 

The voter completes their secret ballot by writing the name of a candidate in their assigned riding, seals it in an inner envelope and returns it to the polling agent. The polling agent seals that inner envelope in the outer envelope that identifies the electoral district. 

When the ballots are counted, if the candidate on the secret ballot doesn't coincide with the electoral district on the outer ballot, that ballot will be rejected.

WATCH | Your options if you want to vote early: 

Can I revote if I changed my mind or messed up my ballot?

If you make a mistake while at the polling station, let a polling staffer know. Your ballot will be counted as a "spoiled ballot" and will be kept secret. Spoiled ballots are tracked, but their number isn't made public.

Elections Canada will give you another one — but be careful. You will only get one replacement ballot.

If your vote has already gone into the ballot box, it's too late. There's no way to take your ballot back.