Elections Canada - Canada Revenue Agency Consent Initiative - Inspire Democracy
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Check the boxes

Elections Canada - Canada Revenue Agency Consent Initiative

During tax season, Elections Canada partners with the Canada Revenue Agency to give Canadian citizens aged 18 years and older an easy way to add or update their information in the National Register of Electors. All they have to do is check "Yes" to the two questions related to Elections Canada on their tax form. This quick and simple step helps ensure that electors receive a voter information card during federal elections. The card tells them where, when and the ways to vote.

As well, Canadian citizens aged 14 to 17 can check "Yes" on their tax form to be included the Register of Future Electors. When they turn 18, they will be added to the National Register of Electors and be ready to vote in federal elections.

Voting is habit forming: Young people who start voting early are more likely to become lifelong voters!

Fast facts

  • Elections Canada's tax season campaign is one of the key ways that it keeps the National Register of Electors up to date.
  • Rates of consent vary widely across the country. Electors and future electors in the Atlantic provinces are most likely to check "Yes" to the Elections Canada questions, and those in Nunavut are least likely to do so.
  • In Nunavut, most tax returns are completed by tax preparers—making it especially important for tax filers in the territory to tell their tax preparers to check "Yes" to the Elections Canada questions on their behalf.

By working together to encourage electors filing their taxes to check "Yes," we can reduce gaps in the Register of National Electors and the Register of Future Electors!

Spread the word in your community

We need your help to spread the word among members of your network and make them aware of this quick and easy way to be added to the National Register of Electors or the Register of Future Electors, or to update their voter information.

Get the message out by any means available: email, newsletters, social media, posters, workshops (e.g. about taxes)—even informal discussions! You will find on this web page various tools and messages that may help. If you have any other tips or ideas about how to promote the Check "Yes" campaign, please share them!

Useful links and printable sheets

Web page

This page on the Elections Canada website explains what happens when you check "Yes" to be included in the National Register of Electors (for citizens aged 18 years and older) or the Register of Future Electors (for citizens aged 14 to 17).

Filing your taxes? Check the boxes.

Handout

This sheet describes what happens to your information when you check "Yes" to be included in the National Register of Electors or the Register of Future Electors. It also gives a brief description of what both of these registers are.

Filing your taxes? Check the boxes.

Application forms

This sheet shows you how to inform your tax preparer that you would like them to check "Yes" to the Elections Canada questions on your behalf.

YES to the two questions from Elections Canada on my tax form

Email templates

You can customize these sample emails (one for the National Register of Electors, the other for the Register of Future Electors) to share information with your community.

Sample emails for the Check "Yes" campaign

PowerPoint slides

If you're giving a presentation before the tax deadline, you can include these PowerPoint slides to share information with your audience about Elections Canada's Check "Yes" campaign.

It's tax season! Check "Yes."

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Key messages

Feel free to share these messages in any way that works for you and your community:

National Register of Electors

  • Canadian citizens can check "Yes" on their tax form to consent to share their name, address and date of birth with Elections Canada and be included in the National Register of Electors.
  • To register and vote in federal elections, you must have Canadian citizenship and be at least 18 years old.
  • Checking "Yes" to the Elections Canada questions on your tax form ensures that you're registered at your current address and ready to vote in federal elections.
  • When an election is called, you will receive a voter information card that tells you where, when and the ways to vote.
  • The privacy of all information in the National Register of Electors is protected by the Canada Elections Act and the Privacy Act. Elections Canada ensures that the information in the Register is kept secure and used for authorized purposes only.

Register of Future Electors

  • Canadian citizens aged 14 to 17 can check "Yes" on their tax forms to consent to share their name, address and date of birth with Elections Canada and be added to the Register of Future Electors.
  • The easiest way for your teenager to ensure that they are registered to vote when they turn 18 is by checking "Yes" to the Elections Canada questions on their tax form.
  • When they turn 18, their information will be added to the National Register of Electors and they will be registered and ready to vote in federal elections.
  • Voting is habit forming: Young people who vote in the first election after they turn 18 are likely to become lifelong voters.
  • At election time, registered electors will receive a voter information card that tells them where, when and the ways to vote.
  • The privacy of all information in the Register of Future Electors is protected by the Canada Elections Act and the Privacy Act. Elections Canada ensures that the information in the Register of Future Electors is kept secure and used for authorized purposes only. Under the Canada Elections Act, future elector information cannot be shared with political parties, members of Parliament or candidates.
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