A federal returning officer (RO) administers federal electoral events in the riding to which they are appointed. The Chief Electoral Officer appoints federal ROs, and they report to him.
The returning officer (RO) appoints the assistant returning officer (ARO) to help carry out all duties related to an electoral event. The RO may delegate specific duties to the ARO. At times, the ARO may be required to replace the RO.
The service point supervisor (SPS) manages the service centre at the Elections Canada office. They may also coordinate targeted revision, acute care voting, home visits and data entry; and recruit and train service centre staff.
The service agent (SA) updates preliminary lists of electors by accepting revision applications from electors submitted by mail, fax, telephone, or in person.
The financial officer implements the financial processes at the Elections Canada office and presents to the RO complete and accurate financial information using the Returning Office Payment System and Sites (ROPS/SITES) application.
The automation coordinator (AC) prepares and manages the lists of electors, trains the service centre clerks and provides technical support for all systems in the Elections Canada office.
The assistant automation coordinator (AAC) helps manage the systems at the Elections Canada office and provides technical support for all hardware and software applications.
The training officer (TO) prepares and trains all poll workers. A good TO is essential to deliver a successful event and make sure that all electors receive the same service quality. A TO is required regardless of the size of the electoral district.
The receptionist receives and routes telephone calls and greets people at the Elections Canada office. More than one person can share this position. In smaller offices, the receptionist provides office and administrative support. The office of the additional assistant returning officer (AARO) may also require a receptionist.
The recruitment supervisor manages the recruitment of advance polling and election day workers as well as training logistics. The recruitment officer must be available at the beginning of the election period to start setting up and training.
The recruitment officer supports recruitment activities and works closely with the recruitment supervisor to facilitate the hiring and training of enough poll workers to run an event. The RO appoints recruitment officers to support recruitment activities. At the RO's discretion, they could start working at the beginning of the election period.
Community relations officers (CROs) are appointed to electoral districts where electors in certain target groups known to face barriers to voting represent a significant portion of the population. The CRO facilitates communication between the Elections Canada office and target group, thereby making voting as accessible as possible to that group.
The deputy returning officer (DRO) makes sure that all electors are able to cast their ballot in an orderly way. DROs will be required to set up, open and close several polling stations, according to the instructions for safe set-up and service. DROs at advance polls will be required to open their polling stations on four separate days and count the ballots on election day.
The central poll supervisor (CPS) makes sure that all electors are able to cast their ballot in an orderly way and that election officers carry out their work according to established procedures. The CPS is the liaison between the RO and election day election officers. They also perform quality control checks to ensure the integrity of the vote and report to the RO any incidents that occur at the polling place.
The registration officer pre-fills Registration Certificates, Correction Certificates, and Oath of Residence Certificates; they may request to see elector identification.
The information officer (IO) is responsible for providing information services at a central polling place. The IO works with the deputy returning officer (DRO), poll clerk and registration officer, and works closely with the central poll supervisor (CPS) to make sure that electors are able to cast their ballots effectively, efficiently and safely. IOs, as election officers, may not participate in partisan political activities on election day.