Manitoba Provincial Election

Am I eligible to vote?

To be eligible to vote in Manitoba, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• A resident of Manitoba for at least 6 months by election day;
• 18 or older by election day

When and where can I vote?

On election day

You can vote in person on election day on October 3, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Central Daylight Time) at the voting location assigned to you based on your current residential address. The easiest way to find out where to vote is by registering to vote or by looking up your address. 

During advance voting 

Advance voting is open from September 23 to 30, 2023! During this time, you can vote at any polling station that offers advanced voting. Polling stations are open from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM on Sunday (Central Daylight Time). 

Advance voting locations are commonly established in malls, community centres, libraries, work camps, universities, and other public buildings. 

At home

If you’re unable to go in person to a polling station due to a disability, you and/or your caregiver can apply to vote in your home by contacting your electoral district’s returning officer. 

Absentee voting

If you’ll be away from your electoral district and unable to vote on election day or via advance voting, apply to vote by absentee ballot! 

To be eligible for an absentee ballot, you must: 

• Be a Canadian citizen; 
• Be 18 years old by election day;
• Have resided in Manitoba for at least 6 months by election day (with some exceptions);
• Intend to be away for no more than 6 months 

Eligible voters can vote by absentee ballot if they expect to be:

• Outside Manitoba on advance voting days and on election day; OR 
• Inside Manitoba but at a location significantly distant from any advance polling location and from your regular polling location on election day

You can apply for an absentee ballot online, at your local election office, or complete the application form and return it by mail. Elections Manitoba suggests applying as soon as possible, particularly before September 22, 2023, as you otherwise may not receive the absentee ballot in time to return it. The official deadline for absentee ballot applications is September 30, 2023, and the final deadline for returning all ballots is 8:00 PM on October 3, 2023. 

Refer to Elections Manitoba's Accessibility Services and Options to learn about their accessible voting options and language support. Elections Manitoba also offers election information in multiple languages.

Do I need to register to vote?

Yes and no. You do need to register in order to vote, however, you do not need to register in advance, meaning you can also register at the polling station on Election Day. 

Registering at the polls might mean spending a little more time waiting in line, so we recommend registering to vote online in advance.

To avoid waiting in longer Election Day lines, register to vote beforehand!

Do I need to bring ID to vote?

Yes and no. You are required to prove your identity and physical address. There are over 50 types of identification that can be accepted at the polling stations from your Alberta Driver’s Licence to your Personal Health Card and a utility bill.

Be sure to double check what kinds of IDs are accepted before you vote!

If you do not have sufficient ID (make sure to check the above list first as there are many acceptable ID options), you can have a registered voter in your district vouch for you. If this is the case, you can learn more about what to do if you don't have an ID directly from Elections Manitoba under their "Vouching" and "Attestation" resources.

How do I know who to vote for?

Choosing who to vote for can be really difficult! But we got you! You can follow Apathy is Boring on Instagram where we’ll break down everything you need to know about the upcoming election including who’s running and what they stand for.

Elections Manitoba resource: https://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Voting/FAQ 

Voters are entitled to three consecutive, non-work hours to vote on an advance polling day, or on election day. 

If your work schedule can’t accommodate you to take three consecutive hours off, your employer must provide extra time off. 

This doesn't mean you get to just take off from work for three hours though. It just means you have to be given a window of three hours to vote at some point during the day. So if you work from 12:30 PM to 8:30 PM, you still have three hours before your shift begins to vote (9:30 AM to 12:00 PM).

Your boss can't dock your pay or penalize you for taking the time to vote. You have to be paid your regular wage for the hours you're not working while you vote. Have that conversation with your employer now, as they have the right to decide when you get your time off!

If you already know you're going to be busy or away on vacation (lucky you) on Election Day, make a plan to vote early!

You have three options:

1: Vote by absentee ballot! You can apply to receive an absentee ballot online, at your local election office, or complete the application form and return it by mail.

2: Vote at an advanced poll: Advance voting is open from September 23 to 30, 2023! During this time, you can vote at any polling station that offers advanced voting. Polling stations are open from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM on Sunday. 

3: At home! If you’re unable to go in person to a polling station due to a disability, you and/or your caregiver can apply to vote in your home by contacting your electoral district’s returning officer.

If you’ve left your home address to study elsewhere within Manitoba, you have two options:

• If your course of study is longer than 6 months, you will vote in the electoral district you live in while attending school; OR 
• If your course of study is shorter than 6 months, you will vote in your home electoral division

If you attend school outside of Manitoba, you can still be eligible to vote as an absentee voter. To qualify you must: 

• Be a Canadian citizen; 
• Be 18 years old by election day; 
• Intend to return to live in Manitoba when you are done with your studies (the 6-month residency rule is waived for students!)

For more information on this, see Elections Manitoba's resource for post-secondary students and the voting process.

I live in a remote or isolated area?

Vote by mail or online! You can apply for an absentee ballot online, at your local election office, or by mail anytime leading up to September 22, 2023. The official deadline for absentee ballot applications is September 30, 2023, and all ballots must be received before 8:00 PM on Election Day.

I’m living in an Indigenous community or reserve?

You can choose to vote by absentee ballot, or find your nearest polling station by searching your specific address.

I’m living abroad?

Manitoba residents living outside of Manitoba can apply to vote by absentee ballot. Eligibility requirements are: 

• Be a Canadian citizen; 
• Be 18 years old by election day; 
• Have resided in Manitoba for at least 6 months by election day;
• Intend to be away for no more than 6 months (with some exceptions**)

** The following individuals can still vote even if they have been away longer than six months, as long as they intend to return to live in Manitoba:

• Canadian Armed Forces members
• Students attending school outside Manitoba
• Individuals working with the Manitoba or Canadian government
• Anyone living with the above

I recently moved?

You can vote in your new electoral district! Just bring a piece of ID and proof of your new address. The Registration Officer will look at your identification, prepare a Declaration of Elector for you to sign, and issue you a ballot.

Or, you can register your new address before Election Day.

I’m currently without a home?

To support those living in treatment centers, emergency shelters, or community support centers, Elections Manitoba sets up voting places at many of these support centers on election day. 

To vote at one of these locations you must reside or access services from the support center. ID is required - check out this list of acceptable IDs before you go to vote!

You can also vote at any polling location in the electoral division in which your support center is located! Be sure to check out what locations you can vote at.

16- and 17-year olds who are Canadian citizens and residents of Manitoba can register as a Future Voter! If you will be 18 years old by election day for the next election, Elections Manitoba will send you a voter information card telling you where and when to vote.