The Quebec general election falls on Oct. 5 of this year, when voters will choose their representatives in the Quebec National Assembly. For many students and first-time voters, the voting registration process can be confusing. The Tribune breaks down what the Quebec general election is, who can vote, and how you can register to vote.
What is the Quebec general election?
Quebec is divided into 127 electoral divisions, corresponding to the number of seats in the Quebec National Assembly. The political party with the most members elected forms government. A majority government is one which wins at least 64 seats, representing over 50 per cent of the seats. If it wins fewer than 64 seats, the leading party forms a minority government.
The current Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government is a majority government led by Premier Christine Fréchette. According to Leger polling, the leading political parties in this election are the Parti Québécois (PQ), the CAQ, and the Parti Libéral Québec (PLQ), while the Parti conservateur du Québec (PCQ), and Québec solidaire trail behind.
Students can stay informed on the provincial parties’ platforms by attending a debate hosted by the Students’ Society of McGill University in collaboration with the McGill Law Students’ Association and the Black Students’ Network. The event is open exclusively to McGill students and will take place on Sept 10. in the University Centre.
Am I eligible to vote?
There are four requirements for voting in Quebec: You must be 18 years old or older, a Canadian citizen, residing in Quebec since April 5 or earlier, and have a domicile in Quebec. According to Élections Québec, a domicile and a residence are different.
The domicile is a voter’s primary address that is listed on pieces of government identification and used by the voter for tax reasons. Whereas one could have multiple residences where they live regularly, their domicile is the primary address used to practice civil rights. This means those who submit their taxes and list their Quebec address as their permanent address, and have been living in Quebec for at least 6 months, are eligible to vote.
Students who are official residents of Quebec can vote on campus for the riding in which their domicile is located. Out-of-province Canadian students, however, can only vote if their domicile address is registered in Quebec.
Am I registered to vote?
In order to register to vote, your name must enter the permanent list of electors.Voters can apply to join the list on the Élections Québec website.
To verify their registration on the list of electors, voters have until Sept. 21 to confirm with Élections Québec. Registration and address-changing remain available until then. Voters who have moved within Quebec may still need to change their information on the list of electors, as the list of electors does not automatically update a voter’s address upon a voter’s change of domicile.
Where can I vote?
McGill University will host polling stations where students and staff members can vote directly on campus. Advance polling stations will be organized in Redpath Library on Sept. 25, 29, and 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., as well as on Oct. 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In addition to advance polling stations at McGill, voters have access to polls near their residential address throughout the province. Advance polling will take place on Sept. 27 and 28 from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm. On election day—Oct. 5—polling stations have the same hours of operation. McGill classes will be cancelled on Oct. 5 to account for the election.
What should I bring to the polling station?
If you have registered to vote, your name should automatically be on the list of electors. In order for the polling station staff to verify your identity, you must have one of the following documents: a Quebec driver’s license, a health insurance card, a Canadian passport, a certificate of Indian status, or a Canadian Forces identification card.