DGEQ - General election 2012

Publication of the summary of the returns of election expenses for the September 4th, 2012 general election

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:10:00 -0500

Québec, February 26^th 2013– Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, has made public the Summary of the returns of election expenses of the parties and candidates having run in the general election held on September 4^th, 2012. The figures appearing in this summary were taken from the returns of election expenses submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer by the official agents of the parties and the candidates.

It should be recalled that the limit on the election expenses permitted for all of the political parties and candidates within the context of the September 4^th, 2012 general election stood at $81,232,106. The total election expenses incurred during the election period reached $20,383,804.

In comparison, for theDecember 8, 2008general election, the limit on the election expenses permitted for all of the political parties and candidates was $54,096,719 and the expenses incurred totaled $19,523,182.

For the September 4^th, 2012 general election, the election expenses of candidates were limited to $1.23 per elector registered on the list of electors and, in the case of a political party, to $0.71 per elector registered on the list of electors in all of the electoral divisions where this party had an official candidate. In 2008, these limits were respectively $1.15 and $0.67 per registered elector.

Here are some data concerning the election expenses of the four parties represented in the National Assembly for the September 4^th, 2012 general election:

Political parties

Limit on election expenses permitted

Total expenses incurred

Coalition avenir Québec – L’équipe François Legault

Party: $4,203,064

($3,845,003 in 2008)*

Party: $3,040,594

($1,802,010 in 2008)*

Candidates:$7,333,797

($6,648,366 in 2008)*

Candidates: $ 0

($1,189,479 in 2008)*

Parti libéral du Québec/ Quebec Liberal Party

Party:$4,203,064 ($3,845,003 in 2008)

Party:$3,083,773

($3,023,538 in 2008)

Candidates:$ 7,333,797

($6,648,366 in 2008)

Candidates:$5,188,747

($5,586,703 in 2008)

Parti québécois

Party:$ 4,203,064

($3,845,003 in 2008)

Party:$4,072,464

($3,818,481 in 2008)

Candidates:$ 7,333,797

($6,648,366 in 2008)

Candidates:$3,274,751

($3,270,173 in 2008)

Québec Solidaire

Party:$4,175,158

($3,762,788 in 2008)

Party:$1,452,069

($597 452 in 2008)

Candidates:$7,285,453

($6,507,204 in 2008)

Candidates: $0

($0 in 2008)

* These comparative numbers are those of the Action démocratique du Québec/Équipe Mario Dumont party and their candidates

For all parties and candidates, advertising expenses represent nearly 49% of the total election expenses reported. Among the parties represented in the National Assembly, it is Québec solidaire and its candidates that devoted the largest portion of their election expenses to advertising, with approximately 55% of the total. The Coalition avenir Québec and its candidates devoted approximately 50% of their expenses to advertising. The Quebec Liberal Party and its candidates invested approximately 49% of their election expenses in advertising, while Parti québécois devoted approximately 47%.

The rental of premises represents less than 4% of the election expenses of all parties and candidates.

Moreover, the Chief Electoral Officer has already paid an advance on the reimbursement of the election expenses of parties and candidates which corresponds to 35% of the limit on election expenses of candidates and of the amount estimated by the official agents of the parties. The amount of this advance totals $8,650,259.

Following a detailed audit of the returns of election expenses of the political parties and candidates, the necessary adjustments will be made so that the reimbursement equals 50% of the election expenses incurred and paid in accordance with the Electoral Act. The total reimbursement of election expenses should reach approximately $9,750,000, whereas it stood at approximately $9,300,000 in 2008. It should be noted that in order to obtain a reimbursement, a candidate must have been elected or have obtained at least 15% of the valid votes. In the case of a political party, it must have obtained at least 1% of the valid votes.

You can examine the summary of the returns of election expenses by visiting the web-site of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: http://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/francais/provincial/financement-et-depenses-electorales/elections-generales-depenses.php, or by contacting the Information Centre at (418) 528-0422 (Québec City region) or 1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846) (outside the Québec City region).

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Electoral participation in the 2012 Qu�bec general elections - Electors aged 18 - 44 years old came back to the polling stations in large numbers during the last general election

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 06:00:00 -0500

QuébecCity,December 19, 2012– If we compare with the 2008 general election, Québec electors aged from 18 to 44 returned to the ballot boxes in large numbers, during the September 4, 2012 vote. Looking at specific age cohorts, this increase in participation rate varied between 21% for the 35 to 44 year olds and nearly 26% for the 18 to 24 year olds. This observation is one of those coming out of a study made public today and is the fruit of collaboration between the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec and Université Laval’s Research Chair in Democracy and Parliamentary Institutions.

“It is very heartening to see that electors aged 18 to 44 have exercised their right to vote in large numbers in 2012, particular amongst the youngest of them”, declared the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Jacques Drouin. “However, the research indicates that we must remain vigilant and continue to be concerned about voter turnout among the youngest electors.”

The study by the Research Chair also puts in perspective the worrying turnout of 57.43% at the 2008 general election and leads to the conclusion that it was an event “against the trend”. This very low turnout was that of an “exceptional” vote and it is the voters aged 18 to 44 who are largely responsible for correcting this anomaly at the September 2012 general elections. This is what the numbers reveal, over a 60-year period, the voter turnout of Quebecers fell slightly (74.01%, a drop of 5 %) between 1985 and 2008 and that this moderate drop is a better reflection of the reality than the statistically abrupt fall recorded in 2008. In this respect, the 2012 election turnout of 74.60% is satisfying, but it is too early, says the study, to conclude that this represents the start of a trend reversal.

A study based on a very representative sample

Professor François Gélineau, holder of the Research Chair in Democracy and Parliamentary Institutions, led the study which was carried out this fall by using annotated electoral lists from the vote, held on September 4, 2012. A study of the lists allowed for the formation of a representative sample of more than 53,000 Québec electors, from which we could estimate the turnout for each age group with very high statistical precision.

If we compare the turnout rates for age groups between 2008 and 2012, we observe an increase in turnout in all segments, but especially among voters in the younger age groups:

18 – 24 : + 25.9%, at 62.1%
25 – 34 : + 24.5%, at 66.4%
35 – 44 : + 21.6%, at 73.2%

The researcher, however, noted that the 2012 turnout, for the same age groups, resembled those of the 2007 general election. “The apparent increase in turnout observed among the youngest voters between 2008 and 2012 is actually a return to the former situation”, concluded Mr. Gélineau. “The surprise is not so much to note an increase in 2012, but rather a particularly high decline among young electors in 2008. It is thus the 2008 election that has muddied the waters”, interpreted the researcher.

Another observation from the Research Chair’s study is that for every age group, except for those aged 75 and older, higher percentages of women voted than men.

You may consult the complete text (in French) of the study on voter turnout by going to the website of Université Laval’s Research Chair in Democracy and Parliamentary Institutions, at http://www.democratie.chaire.ulaval.ca

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Press release no. 23 - September 4, general election. Close to 5 million electors are invited to the polls tomorrow

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:50:00 -0400

Québec, September 3, 2012 – Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer, invites close to 5 million electors to exercise their right to vote tomorrow, election day. They are electors who have not already voted at the advance polling from August 24 to 30. From9:30 a.m.to8:00 p.m., 19 680 polling stations will be open and more than one hundred thousand election officers will be on hand to administer the election. A total of 892 candidates are hoping to win the favour of the electorate.

"Participating in a general election keep our democracy alive by choosing our representatives at the National Assembly emphasized Mr. Drouin. That’s why it is important to exercise this precious right, namely the right to vote.” The Chief Electoral Officer wishes to point out that the efforts made over the last month to hire election officers have borne fruit and that everything is now in place to welcome electors all across Québec.

Welcoming electors and exercise of the right to vote

Electors can use their reminder card received at their domicile to find out where their polling station is located. They can also consult the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca, or contact our Information Centre at the following telephone number: 1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846). Incidentally, employers must make sure that employees benefit from four consecutive hours to exercise their right to vote. In addition, the Election Act stipulates that educational institutions are required to give time off to students who are electors. Québec’s school boards will also have to give all students attending their schools the day off for the election.

To exercise their right to vote, electors must have their names on the list of electors. They must establish their identity after having stated their name and address to the deputy returning officer. For this purpose, they can show any one of the following documents: their health insurance card, driver’s licence, Canadian passport, Certificate of Indian Status or Canadian Forces Identification Card. This formality will make it possible to confirm the identity of electors.

Disclosure of the results

Electors and media representatives will be able to obtain the results of tomorrow’s election by consulting, beginning at 8:00 p.m., the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca. Once on the home page, simply click on the "Preliminary results” icon. The various pages will be updated regularly up until the end of the counting of the votes.

Moreover, media representatives will be able to obtain, in the following hour, a glimpse of the turnout rates recorded at11:30 a.m.,3:30 p.m.and5:30 p.m.These approximate rates should be known shortly after having been ascertained in the 125 electoral divisions and will be accessible from the home page of our website.

A few statistics

The compilation of the lists of electors after the revision reveals that the final number of electors registered for tomorrow’s election is 5,919,778. Of that number, 3,271 are electors outside Québec and 2,870 are inmates. More than 139,041 changes were made to the list of electors during the revision and special revision, namely 76,073 registrations, 56,049 strikings and 6,919 corrections.

For more information on the September 4, 2012general election, feel free to consult the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca.

Press release no. 22 - September 4, 2012 general election. Final advance polling figures: 16,61 % of the electors registered exercised their right to vote

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:15:00 -0400

Québec, September 1, 2012–– Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, wishes to announce that 980 498 electors exercised their right to vote in the advance poll by using the various methods offered to them between August 24 and August 30. This total corresponds to 16,6 % of the total number of electors registered prior to the special revision, which also ended Thursday. This total number includes the data concerning the "traditional" advance polling, namely on August 26 and 27. It also includes the vote at the domicile of the elector or in a residential facility. Finally, the total includes the vote at the office of the returning officer, for the electors who voted in the electoral division where they were or for those who voted at distance in the riding of their domicile, using the vote outside their electoral division.

In comparison, 11.7 % of the electors exercised their right to vote in the advance polling, at the general election of December 2008.

It may be interesting to characterize the participation of electors according to the voting method that they chose:

-821,165 electors (13,9%) voted at a "traditional" advance polling station, open on Sunday, August 26 or Monday, August 27.

-81,823 electors (1,3%) exercised their right to vote in polling stations set up in retirement homes or in homes for people having mobility problems, or at their domicile:

-65,555 people voted on «august 26 and 27 at the advance polling station set up on site in recognized residential facilities.

-9,734 electors unable to move about voted upon request in various residential facilities (hospitals, rehabilitation centres, residential and long-term care centres and retirement homes having fewer than 50 residents), on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30.

-6,034 electors unable to move about for health reasons voted at their domicile during the same period.

-Finally, 78,010 (1,3 %) people exercised their right to vote at the office of the returning officer on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30:

-61 559 electors took advantage of the vote at the office of the returning officier of their electoral division.

-16 451 electors voted at the returning officer’s office where they were, to exercise their right to vote at distance in the electoral division of their domicile, using the mechanism of the vote outside the electoral division.

"It is worth noting that for the present general election, one out of six electors already exercised his right to vote. They led the way to all the others who are now invited to vote on September 4”, emphasized the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Drouin.

The counting of the votes of the advance polling will take place on election night, namely September 4, in each of the 125 electoral divisions of Québec. The vote outside the electoral division will be counted at the main office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Québec City.

A table indicating the turnout rates for each electoral division of Québec is available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca, by clicking on the "Participation rates of advance polling" link, on the right side of the home page.

Press release no. 21 - September 4, 2012 general election. 919 120 electors have exercised their right to vote at the end of the second day of advance polling

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:50:00 -0400

Québec,August 28, 2012–– At the end of the second day of advance polling held on Monday, August 27, Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer, announces that 919 120 electors exercised their right to vote to date. This total corresponds to 15,57 % of the total number of electors registered on the lists of electors prior to the special revision. It should be noted that this number of electors includes those who voted at the office of the returning officer on August 24 and 25, as well as the electors who voted at their domicile or in a residential facility on these same days.

In comparison, 626 087 electors had taken part in advance polling at the end of the second day of advance polling in 2008, for a turnout rate of 10.93%.

The final participation rate of the advance polling will be known after the end of the votes at the domicile, in a residential facility or at the returning officer’s office on August 31. The counting of the votes cast during advance polling will take place on election night, namely September 4, in each of the 125 electoral divisions of Québec.

A table indicating the turnout rate for each electoral division of Québec at the end of the second day of advance polling is available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca, by clicking on the "Participation rates of advance poll" link on the right side of the home page.

The data on the number of electors taking part in polling at the office of the returning officer reveal that 13,565 electors exercised their right to vote there on Friday, August 24, whereas 8,331 voted on Saturday, August 25, for a total of 21,896.

Voting from today to Thursday

Starting today, electors who would like to exercise their right to vote will be able to do so at the office of the returning officer of their electoral division. In the 125 electoral divisions, a main polling station will be open to electors. Among those, 38 electoral divisions, whose territory is vaster, more than one polling station will be open. In all, 185 polling stations will be available in the 125 electoral divisions of Québec for voting at the office of the returning officer. In comparison, around 3,000 polling stations are open for “traditional" advance polling, which began yesterday and which is continuing today. Approximately 20,000 polling stations will receive electors on September 4.

Voting at the office of the returning officer will take place from 9 a.m. to9 p.m.tomorrow and on Wednesday. Polling stations will close at2:00 p.m.on Thursday.

To find out where the nearest office is located, electors can use the search engine "Where and when to vote?" accessible on the right side of the home page of the website www.monvote.qc.ca. They can also contact the Information Centre of the Chief Electoral Officer at 1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846).

Press release no. 20 - September 4, 2012 general election. Advance polling update after Day 1 : 500 805 electors exercised their right to vote

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 14:10:00 -0400

Québec,August 27, 2012–– At the end of the first day of advance polling held on Sunday, August 26, Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer, announces that 500 805 electors exercised their right to vote to date. This total corresponds to 8,48 % of the total number of electors registered on the lists of electors prior to the special revision. It should be noted that this number of electors includes those who voted at the office of the returning officer on August 24 and 25, as well as the electors who voted at their domicile or in a residential facility on these same days.

In comparison, 419,457 electors had taken part in advance polling at the end of the first day of advance polling in 2008, for a turnout rate of 7,33%.

The new method of voting, namely the vote outside the electoral division attracted electors in the vast majority of Québec’s electoral divisions. Indeed, in 121 ridings, 5,225 electors exercised their right to vote remotely in 120 electoral divisions. The large ridings where some workers’ camps are located are those in which the vote outside the electoral division was the most used. Thus, in Duplessis, 724 votes were cast while 396 votes were registered in Ungava. In urban areas, it’s in the electoral division of Jean-Talon, that the largest number of voters used the vote outside the electoral division with a total of 252 cast by the electors.

The counting of the votes cast during advance polling will take place on election night, namely September 4, in each of the 125 electoral divisions of Québec. The vote outside the electoral division will be counted at the main office of the Chief Electoral Officer.

A table indicating the turnout rate for each electoral division of Québec at the end of the first day of advance polling will be available soon on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca, by clicking on the "Participation Rates" button on the right side of the home page.

Voting from this Tuesday to Thursday

Starting tomorrow, electors who would like to exercise their right to vote will be able to do so at the office of the returning officer of their electoral division. In the 125 electoral divisions, a main polling station will be open to electors. Among those, 38 electoral divisions, whose territory is vaster, more than one polling station will be open. In all, 185 polling stations will be available in the 125 electoral divisions of Québec for voting at the office of the returning officer. In comparison, around 3,000 polling stations are open for “traditional" advance polling, which began yesterday and which is continuing today. Approximately 20,000 polling stations will receive electors on September 4.

The data on the number of electors taking part in polling at the office of the returning officer reveal that 13,565 electors exercised their right to vote there on Friday, August 24, whereas 8,096 voted on Saturday, August 25, for a total of 21,661.

Voting at the office of the returning officer will take place from9 a.m.to9 p.m.tomorrow and on Wednesday. Polling stations will close at2:00 p.m.on Thursday.

Press release No. 18 - September 4, 2012 general election - Beginning today, Quebec electors can exercise their right to vote

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:05:00 -0400

Quebec City,August 24, 2012– In theQuebec2012 general election, electors can now express their choices. The Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, Jacques Drouin, reminds electors that there are various ways for them to exercise their right to vote in the general election of September 4. Mr. Drouin also reminds them that registration on the list of electors is a pre-requisite for exercising their right to vote. Duly registered electors can then vote on polling day or at an advance poll, a mobile polling station or at the office of the returning officer. Furthermore, it’s at the office of the returning officer that they will be entitled to vote for a candidate from their home electoral division, while temporarily residing in another.

Advance polling

Advance polling will take place on Sunday, August 26 and Monday, August 27, from9:30 a.m.to8:00 p.m.

Electors wishing to vote in this way must remember that there are fewer polling stations at their disposal than there are during ordinary voting and that there may sometimes be a certain wait. Past election experience has also shown that these slowdowns are more likely to occur when polling stations first open.

To learn the address of the advance polling station assigned to them, electors may consult the notice “Are you registered on the list of electors?”, which was distributed recently. It is also possible to refer to the special section dedicated to by-elections on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, at www.monvote.qc.ca, or contact the Information Centre at

1-888-ELECTION (1-888-353-2846) or

1-800-537-0644 – telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD).

Advance polling will also take place at a certain number of CHSLDs and residences for the elderly registered with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

Voting at the office of the returning officer

As is now standard procedure during provincial elections, voting at the main office or at a branch office of the returning officer is an option for electors, who may do so today, and on August 28 and 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., on Saturday August 25 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and on August 30, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It’s at the same location and under the same schedule that it will be possible for an elector to vote for a candidate from his home electoral division, while temporarily residing in another. For more information on this new way of voting, it’s possible to consult the Chief electoral officer’s website at the address: http://monvote.qc.ca/en/edv_votez_ou_vous_residez.asp. The news release published by the DGE on August 22 is also a good source of information.

Mobile polling

On the same days as voting at the office of the returning officer, mobile polling will also take place, either domiciliary voting or voting at a residential facility. In order to receive a visit from electoral personnel, electors must have filed an application for the service with the returning officer. However, an elector residing at a residential facility may ask to exercise his right to vote when the election officers are on site if this elector is registered on the electoral list at the address of the facility.

Voting on polling day

On September 4, 2012, polling stations will receive electors from9:30 a.m.to8:00 p.m., at the address mentioned on the reminder card which will be distributed soon to all the province’s electors.

On Election Day, polling places will be, with some exceptions, accessible for persons with reduced mobility. These persons should verify the accessibility with the returning officer’s office of by contacting theDGEInformationCenter. The information can also be found on the Chief Electoral Officer’s Web Site. Furthermore, the returning officer’s offices, the revisions boards and the advance polling stations will provide easy access for people with mobility difficulties.

Identifying electors

It is now standard procedure: electors must provide proof of identity in order to exercise their right to vote, no matter where they choose to do so. Proof of identity may be established by presenting any one of the following documents:

Québec health insurance card
Quebecdriver's licence
Canadian passport
certificate of Indian Status or
Canadian Armed Forces ID.

For more information…

To obtain more information concerning the exercise of one’s right to vote, please consult the voter’s manual joined to the notice “Are you registered on the list of electors?” or the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at www.monvote.qc.ca.

You can also contact the Information Centre at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer by dialling the aforementioned telephone numbers, weekdays from9:00 a.m.to9:00 p.m., and weekends from9:00to5:00 p.m.It should be noticed that theInformationCenterwill receive calls from9:00 a.m.to9:00 p.m.on August 26 and 27 for the advance polling and from8:30 a.m.to9:30 p.m.on September 4, the polling day.

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Press release no. 17 - September 4, 2012 general election - Qu�bec electors who are absent from their domicile will be able to vote outside their electoral division

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:15:00 -0400

Quebec City, August 22, 2012 – Looking ahead to the September 4 Québec general election, the Chief Electoral Officer, Jacques Drouin, wishes to remind electors that they will be able to take advantage of a new measure, namely voting outside their electoral division. For the first time, it will be possible for them to exercise their right to vote no matter where they temporarily are in Québec, if they foresee being absent from their domicile on the days set aside for voting. It should, however, be noted that under this new voting system, electors in transit, i.e. those passing through one of the two electoral divisions, will not be allowed to exercise their right to vote if they return home to sleep at the end of the day. This new possibility is replacing the option formerly available to workers and students to register on the list of electors for their temporary place of residence, in accordance with former section 3 of the Election Act.

“Access to voting has continually improved since 2006,” Mr. Drouin points out, “and with voting outside an electoral division, we’ve crossed a whole new threshold.” We now know that the right to vote may be exercised five days longer than the period covered by regular and advance polling. And in certain cases electoral personnel will move about so as to enable electors in long-term care centres, residential facilities, and even private homes to vote.

Voting at the office of the returning officer

Voting outside an electoral division will be carried out at an office of the returning officer. The new method of voting will also be accessible to those temporarily lodged in long-term care centres and residential facilities. In a statement, electors availing themselves of the new measure will, first of all, confirm that they have not yet voted and will be unable to vote at the location of their permanent domicile. They will then be given a list of the candidates from their home electoral division and a blank ballot on which to indicate the first and last names of the person for whom they wish to vote, as well as the name of the candidate’s political party, if they would like to specify it. The ballot paper will be inserted in an envelope that is then to be sealed and placed in a ballot box set aside for this purpose. The votes will be counted and compiled at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Quebec Cityand the results transmitted to the various electoral divisions on the evening of polling day.

Electors wishing to vote at the office of the returning officer may do so by coming to the office without appointment at a time convenient to them, on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 up until 2:00 PM. The address of the returning officer’s office can be found on the Chief Electoral Officer’s web site at http://monvote.qc.ca/fr/doc_carte.asp or by contacting the Information Centre:

418-528-0422 –Quebec Cityregion or

1-888-ELECTION (1-888-353-2846) – elsewhere

418-646-0644 or 1-800-537-0644 – TDD

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Press release no. 16 - September 4, 2012 general election - Special revision period : one last chance to register on the list of electors

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:25:00 -0400

Québec, August 21, 2012 –– Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, wishes to inform those electors who were not able to take advantage of the regular revision period that they will have one last chance to register during the special revision period that starts tomorrow and that ends on August 30 at 2:00 p.m.

Electors wishing to register on the list of electors, to make a correction to their registration or to request the striking of the name of a deceased person must go to the office of the returning officer of their electoral division or a secondary office set up by the returning officer when his electoral division has a vast territory. These applications may be submitted between9 a.m.and9 p.m.from Monday to Friday, and between9 a.m.and5 p.m.on Saturday and Sunday.

A very easy way of confirming whether or not you are registered on the list of electors is to consult Elections Quebec’s website at www.monvote.qc.ca. On the home page, just enter the requested information under the heading “Where and when to vote?”. You will then obtain confirmation of your registration. Otherwise, a message will appear informing you that you are not registered on the list of electors as well as the address and telephone number of the place where you can register. Electors can also consult the notice "Are you registered on the list of electors" which was delivered by mail or contact the Information Centre of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following telephone number: 1 888 ELECTION (1 888 353-2846).

It is important to mention that every application made during the special revision must include two identification documents: one must mention the elector’s name and date of birth (for example: birth certificate or health insurance card) and the other, his name and domiciliary address (for example: driving license, lease or telephone bill). In addition, unlike in the case of the procedure that applies during the regular revision, every application made during the special revision must be made by the elector himself, except, of course, in the case of an application related to an elector who is deceased.

Finally, Mr. Drouin wishes to remind those people who register on the list of electors during the special revision that they will be able to vote at the main office of the returning officer or at a secondary office on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 up until 2:00 p.m., or on polling day, September 4, but that they will not be able to take part in advance polling on August 26 and 27.

In addition, it is important to recall that, unlike in the case of the procedure that applies at the federal level, the Québec Election Act does not allow electors to register on the list of electors on polling day, September 4. The final date to register on the list of electors is thusAugust 30, 2012, at 2 p.m.

Electors can obtain more information on the special revision by contacting the office of the returning officer of their electoral division. They can also consult the website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca. Once they are on the site, they should click on the "Electors" heading, followed by the "Change of address" link.

They can also contact the Information Centre of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following numbers:

1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846) – from outside theQuébecCityarea

(418) 646-0644 or 1 800 537-0644 – TDD

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Press Release no. 15 - September 4, 2012 general election. 3,269 Quebecers staying in 115 countries are registered to �vote outside Qu�bec�

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:40:00 -0400

Quebec City,August 20, 2012––The Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, Jacques Drouin, wishes to announce that 3,269 electors who are temporarily absent from Québec have registered for postal voting for theSeptember 4, 2012general election. These electors are either certain to be staying or expect to be staying in 115 countries, on every continent, on polling day. The total of 3,269 electors registered to “vote outside Québec” is lower than the number for the December 8, 2008 general election, when 5,487electors were registered to do so.

For this election most Quebecers intending to avail themselves of postal voting are in Europe, with 1,473 registered electors residing there. Incidentally in four electoral divisions, there are over 100 such electors with the most in the Montreal region from Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques (122), Gouin (108), and Mercier (101), and with Taschereau (116) leading the way in the Quebec City region. It should be pointed out that the highest number of electors exercising their right to vote outside Québec is found among people 60 years of age and older, with 23.2% of those registered to do so.

The operation involving the sending out of ballot papers began on the day the writ to call the election was issued, i.e. August 1^st. After receiving their ballot paper, electors must complete it by indicating the surname and given name of the candidate of their choice for the electoral division of their most recent domicile in Québec. They may also indicate the name of the political party of their chosen candidate.

The list of candidates sent to them, will also be available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, at www.monvote.qc.ca. Electors will then return their ballot paper to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, making sure that it is received at the latest by Tuesday, September 4, at 8:00 p.m., when Québec’s polling stations close. Only ballot papers received by that time and date will be counted.

After the polling stations close on polling day, the deputy returning officer, assisted by the poll clerk, will begin to count the votes received in the presence of representatives appointed by the authorized parties. Since electors vote for the candidate from the electoral division of their domicile before their departure from Québec, the results will then be transmitted to the returning officers concerned.

Tables presenting the number of electors registered to “vote outside Québec” by electoral division and for each country are available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, by clicking on the link “Documentation and history” (on the left side of the home page), then selecting the document “Number of electors registered to vote outside Québec.”

Press release no. 14 - September 4, 2012 general election. 894 candidates will be running in the September 4th general election

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 21:55:00 -0400

Québec, August 18, 2012 –– In preparation for the upcoming September 4th general election, Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, announces that after the period for filing nomination papers, which ended at 2 p.m. today, 894 nomination papers have been accepted in the 125 electoral divisions of Québec. In comparison, 651 candidates ran in the 2008 general election. Consequently, there are 243 candidates more than in the last election. In fact, the total of 894 candidates is the highest number recorded in Québec since the number of electoral divisions in a general election increased to 125, namely since September 25, 1989.

The number of nomination papers accepted is broken down as follows:

Political parties or independent candidates	Number of candidates
Bloc pot	2
Coalition avenir Québec - L'équipe François Legault	125
Coalition pour la constituante	29
Équipe autonomiste	17
Option nationale	121
Parti conservateur du Québec	27
Parti de la classe moyenne du Québec	7
Parti équitable	1
Parti indépendantiste	10
Parti libéral du Québec/Quebec Liberal Party	125
Parti marxiste-léniniste du Québec	25
Parti nul	10
Parti québécois	125
Parti unité nationale	12
Parti vert du Québec/Green Party of Québec	67
Québec - Révolution démocratique	1
Québec solidaire	124
Union citoyenne du Québec / Québec Citizens' Union	20
Candidats indépendants ou sans désignation	46

It should be pointed out that independent candidates and candidates with no political affiliation have one thing in common: they do not belong to any political party. The difference between these two categories of candidates, however, is that on the ballot, the names of the former are followed by the term “independent”, whereas the names of candidates with no political affiliation have no term associated with them.

Furthermore, the number of candidates may vary according to the electoral division. The table below shows the number of electoral divisions that have between 4 and 10 candidates.

Number of candidates	Number of electoral divisions
4	1
5	12
6	26
7	45
8	19
9	13
10	9

Profile of candidates

The average age of candidates is 45 years. It is in the 50 to 59 age bracket that the most candidates are found, namely 207, a number that represents 23,2 % of all candidates. The 30 to 39 age bracket is the second most represented group with 194 candidates, namely 21,7 % of the total.

Moreover, with 251 candidates, women account for 28,1 % of the candidates, which is slightly lower than the percentage of 31 % obtained during theDecember 8, 2008election. Women represent 20,8 % of the candidates of the Coalition avenir Québec- L’Équipe François Legault, 23,1 % of the candidates of Option Nationale, 37,6 % of the candidates of the Liberal Party and 27,2 % of the candidates of the Parti québécois. Québec solidaire is the party with the highest number of female candidates with 49,2 %. 6 electoral divisions will have more names of women than of men on their ballots. Finally, there are no female candidates in 7 electoral divisions.

The list of candidates in each electoral division can be consulted by clicking on "Search candidates” (right side of the home page) on the Website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca. Moreover, Statistics on the candidates, which provide more information on the profile of the candidates, are available by clicking on the icon bearing this title, on the right side of the home page.

Press Release no 13 - General Elections of September 4, 2012 - Electors who are temporarily absent from Qu�bec have only 24 hours to register for the vote outside of Qu�bec

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:45:00 -0400

Québec City, August 14, 2012 –– Jacques Drouin, the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, would like to inform persons who are qualified electors in Québec but are currently residing outside Québec that they have only 24 hours to return their application to vote by correspondence in the general elections of September 4, 2012. The application must be received in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer latestAugust 15, 2012atmidnight.

"A very simple step, and one that even may turn out to be pleasant, is to contact relatives and friends who are likely to vote outside Québec to remind them of the possibility that they have to vote by mail in the September 4 general election," suggested Mr. Drouin. The conditions of eligibility for voting for electors who are outside Québec are listed below.

The registration form may be downloaded from the Chief Electoral Officer’s website at www.electionsquebec.qc.ca and returned together with copies of the following identification documents:

- a document that contains the elector’s name and date of birth (for example: passport, birth certificate, citizenship certificate or medicare card);

- another document that contains the elector’s name and the mailing address of his or her domicile in Québec (for example: driver’s licence, lease, electricity bill or any other official document that shows the elector’s address in Québec).

All these documents can be sent by one of the following means:

By fax: 418-643-3829

By e-mail: vhq@dgeq.qc.ca

This measure applies to electors who have left Québec temporarily within the last two years and who intend to return. To vote by mail at the upcoming election, they must complete the registration form and return it to the Chief Electoral Officer within the deadline. Eligible electors will then receive a ballot paper, sent to their address outside Québec, along with information they require in order to vote. They will be able to vote by correspondence for a candidate in the electoral division in which they are domiciled in Québec.

The two-year limit on absences does not apply to electors who are posted outside Québec to a position with the Gouvernement du Québec, the Government of Canada or an international organization mentioned in the Act, nor does it apply to the spouse or dependents of an elector, provided they are themselves electors. Electors posted outside Québec must provide proof of their posting in addition to the other supporting documents required on the registration form.

To be able to exercise the right to vote outside Québec, the person must be a qualified elector – in other words, he or she must be 18 years of age on polling day, be a Canadian citizen, and have been domiciled in Québec for 12 months before the date of departure. In addition, he or she must not be under curatorship and must not be deprived of voting rights.

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Press Release no. 12 - September 4, 2012 general election - 125 returning officers at the service of Qu�bec's electors

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:05:00 -0400

Québec, August 13, 2012 –– Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, wishes to recall the very important role played by returning officers in the organization of the general election that will be held this September 4. The offices of these returning officers are open since August 1 to the general public in each of the 125 electoral divisions of Québec.

Under the authority of the Chief Electoral Officer, returning officers are in charge of the application of the Election Act in their electoral division. Therefore, they represent the Chief Electoral Officer and as such they have important responsibilities, especially as regards the candidates of their electoral division. In fact, returning officers decide whether or not to accept nomination papers; they supervise the printing of ballot papers; and at the conclusion of the electoral process, they declare as officially elected the candidate having obtained the most votes so that he or she may sit in the National Assembly. Returning officers also oversee revision operations pertaining to the list of electors: they strike revision committees, prepare their premises, ensure their training, and supervise their activities, while respecting their right to hand down independent decisions.

Lastly, their best known responsibility lies in organizing various types of voting procedures. In order to do so, they hire and train the election officers required to ensure that the election proceeds smoothly in each of the electoral divisions. In this regard, interested persons may apply for a job as a member of the election staff in their electoral division, by using the form available on-line on the Website of the Chief Electoral Officer. It is returning officers who supervise advance polling in their electoral division. On this subject, persons interested in availing themselves of the right to vote at home or certain conditions of voting in residential facilities must register with the returning officer.

The returning officers will also open a polling station at their office, as well as in one or more secondary offices in certain large electoral divisions. This vote will take place on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 until2:00 PM. For the first time, at in a general election, at the same dates and hours, they will greet electors who reside temporarily in their electoral division so they will be able to vote outside their electoral division. Of course, returning officers are also responsible for holding the election on September 4.

In order to ensure the success of the various activities listed on the election calendar, every returning officer is assisted by a deputy, and aides.

The names and the contact information of the returning officers of all 125 electoral divisions in Québec are available on the Website of the Chief Electoral Officer at www.monvote.qc.ca. On the home page, click on "Information on electoral divisions”. This takes you to a search engine where you simply have to select the name of the electoral division of interest.

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Press release no. 11 - September 4, 2012 general election - The important task of revising the list of electors begins in Qu�bec

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 17:10:00 -0400

Québec, August 12, 2012 – Mr. Jacques Drouin, Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, considers wishes to inform Québec’s electors that the important task of revising the list of electors, an essential step in every general election, begins tomorrow, August 13, in preparation of the upcoming September 4 vote. In the last general election, in December 2008, approximately 107,000 electors of Québec modified their entry on the list of electors. During the general election of March 2007, around 140,000 changes were made to the list of electors. Based on the experience of past elections, the greatest number of changes will likely be made by people who have moved and whose change of address has not been sent yet to the Chief Electoral Officer. The 2nd main reason for changes will be new entries. A first "revision operation" will be held from August 13 to 21 in the 125 electoral divisions of Québec. Afterwards, a special revision period, from August 22 to 30 at2 p.m., will give those people who have not gone before a board of revisors a last opportunity to update the information concerning them.

"It is crucial to remember that an elector whose name does not appear on the list of electors in his polling subdivision does not have the right to vote. The presence of inaccurate information on the list of electors can also lead to difficulties during voting. That is why it is important to check that you are correctly entered and to make sure that the information concerning you on the list of electors is accurate," emphasized Mr. Drouin.

It is difficult to anticipate what will be the number of persons who will take advantage of the list of elector’s revision process. The fact that the election happens in summer, when a large number of persons move, could result in an increase of the changes of address. On the other hand, since the Electoral Act doesn’t allow anymore a temporary change of domicile, it can lead to a decline of modifications to the list of electors. It is only at the end of the revision process, at the end of the month, that it will be possible to have exact figures about the attendance of the revision commissions.

Distribution of 3.9 million notices to the elector

It is mainly by consulting the notice “Are you registered on the list of electors?”, which has been mailed to each address of Québec, that electors can check the information concerning them and appearing on the list. Around 3.9 million of these notices are being distributed all across Québec.

First, the notice indicates the names of all of the electors registered on the list of electors at the same address or, as the case may be, indicates that no elector is registered there. In addition to the particulars related to the names of the registered electors, special attention must be paid to the other information appearing on the notice, notably the address.

The back side of this notice also contains other important information. It mentions the dates, times and place where the elector can go for the revision.

In addition, information on advance polling as well as the hours of operation and telephone number of the office of the returning officer of the electoral division are mentioned there.

Moreover, electors may find appended to the notice the Voter’s Manual, which contains a wealth of information on the general election.

Accessible and easy-to-find boards of revisions

It is by going before a board of revisors set up by the returning officer that a person can apply for entry on, correction to or striking off the list of electors. In addition to informing the elector of the addresses of the boards of revisors on the notice of entry, the Chief Electoral Officer publishes the list of the addresses of the boards of revisors for each electoral division in newspapers. Furthermore, you can check your registration and find the address of your board of revisors by consulting the Website of the Chief Electoral Officer at the following address: www.monvote.qc.ca. In the appropriate window on the home page, under the title “Where and when to vote” simply enter the postal code and address number of your domicile, in addition of your name and date of birth at the appropriate spot. This information may also be obtained by contacting the Information Centre at 1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846).

The hours of operation of the boards of revisors are as follows: from9 a.m.to9 p.m.Monday to Friday and from9 a.m.to5 p.m.on Saturday and Sunday.

An application can be made by the elector, his or her spouse, a relative or a person who lives with the elector. Applications for entry must include two identification documents, one of which must mention the name and date of birth of the elector in question, and the other, his name and the address of his domicile.

Going toward the elector: the mobile revision

During the dates established for this purpose, mobile boards of revisors can go to certain communities, mainly in very large electoral divisions, as well as to certain residential facilities (heath facilities or private seniors’ homes). This revision will take place “automatically” or “upon request,” depending on the type of facility concerned. In the case where the mobile revision will be “upon request,” namely in hospital centres, rehabilitation centres, CHSLDs and private seniors’ homes with fewer than 50 residents, this request must be submitted to the office of the returning officer by no later than this August 21.

Anyone wishing to obtain additional information on the revision of the list of electors or on any other question related to the September 4 general election is invited to consult the special “General Election” section of the Website of the Chief Electoral Officer at: www.monvote.qc.ca, or to contact the Information Centre at the following numbers:

418 528-0422 –QuébecCityarea

1 888 ÉLECTION (1 888 353-2846) – outside the Québec City area

418 646-0644 or 1 800 537-0644 – TDD

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Press release No. 10 - September 4, 2012 general election - Mobile polling in residential facilities and at the elector's domicile

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:40:00 -0400

Quebec City, August 8, 2012 – The Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, Jacques Drouin, would like to remind all electors with reduced mobility that they can exercise their right to vote at their domicile or in a residential facility. It should however be noted that in the case of these alternative polling methods, an application must be addressed to the returning officer with due dispatch.

The application must be forwarded by August 20 at the latest for voting at one’s domicile and by August 21 for mobile polling in a residential facility.

Voting at an elector’s domicile

An elector who is unable to move about for health reasons may vote at his or her domicile. A caregiver living at the same address as the elector is entitled to vote at the same time if he files an application to this effect. Only one caregiver is entitled to vote in this way.

The returning officer must receive the written application by August 20, 2012at the latest. In it the elector must certify that he or she is unable to move about for health reasons. A witness must sign this declaration.

The application from the elector unable to move may be transmitted by regular mail, fax, or an electronic process involving the reproduction of an electronic signature. If an elector is unable to sign the declaration, a spouse, a parent or a person cohabiting with the elector may sign instead. The caregiver of an elector who can vote at his domicile may submit a written application or do it by telephone.

Polling station personnel will visit electors on August 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30. The returning officer will let them know at what time the visit will take place.

Electors exercising their right to vote at their domicile, like all other electors, must be registered on the list of electors before they can vote. Electors who realize that they may be eligible to vote at their domicile and who are not registered on the list of electors may ask a board of revisers to come to their place of residence.

Mobile polling in a residential facility

Mobile polling is available for electors who are unable to move about and who are lodged in a facility registered with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. In this case as well, electoral personnel will go to the facility where the electors reside so that they may exercise their right to vote.

Those wishing to avail themselves of this option simply have to ask the returning officer for permission to do so by telephone or in writing, by August 21, 2012 at the latest.

The returning officer will inform the elector about the day and time when the mobile poll is to arrive at the elector’s room or apartment.

As is the case for voting at the elector’s domicile, the Chief Electoral Officer offers electors unable to move about the option of being visited by the board of revisers to register on the list or to have the list corrected.

How to get in touch with the returning officer

It is easy to find the name and the address or the returning officer on Elections Québec website at the address http://monvote.qc.ca. On the right side of the page, under the title “Important information”, click on “Information on electoral divisions” and on the name of the one which interests you.

For more information

For more information concerning how to exercise of one’s right to vote, please feel free to consult the section entitled “General Election” on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, at http://monvote.qc.ca.

Those wishing to find out more may also contact the Information Centre at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (phone number : 1 888 353-2846), weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.and weekends from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m. These extended hours are in effect throughout the election period. All applications related to obtaining documents may be sent to the Information Centre as well.

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