What you need to know about voting in the Quebec provincial election
Quebec's 42nd provincial election is slated to take place on Monday Oct. 1
Quebec's 42nd provincial election is slated to take place on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. In the lead-up to the big day, here's a guide that will make sure you are well equipped before you go out and vote.
Make sure you are registered to vote
You can't vote unless you are entered on the list of electors. You can check if you are registered by typing in your personal information here.
Other criteria to cast a ballot include being over the age of 18, having Canadian citizenship and being domiciled in Quebec for six months.
Check your mailbox
Be sure to check your mail. You'll be getting a voter information card in the weeks before election day. The card gives you all the information you'll need to know about how to vote, where to vote, and how to make any corrections should there be any errors with your personal information.
Voters outside of Quebec
If you'll be temporarily outside of the province on Oct. 1, you can vote by mail.
You'll have to register though. You have until Sept. 12 at 11:59 p.m. ET to make your request online on the Elections Quebec website.
Know your electoral division
Electoral maps change over the years. To know which riding you belong to, type in your postal code on this page of the Elections Quebec Website.
When are the televised debates?
There are three main televised debates — two in French and one in English. This is the first time all the provincial party leaders in Quebec have agreed to a televised English-language debate.
- French-language debate, moderated by Radio-Canada's Patrice Roy:
- Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. on Radio-Canada
- English-language debate, moderated by CBC's Debra Arbec and CTV's Mutsumi Takahashi, and hosted by Global's Jamie Orchard:
- Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. on CBC Television and livestreamed on our website
- French-language debate, moderated by TVA's Pierre Bruneau:
- Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. on TVA.
Those who want to ask a question of the four party leaders during the English-language debate can send them to debate2018@cbc.ca.
When can I vote?
Election day isn't the only day you can cast your ballot.
There are seven other days on which you can vote:
- In advance: Sept. 23 and 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In advance at the returning officer's office:
- Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sept. 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What do I have to bring with me to vote?
You need any one of the following pieces of ID:
- Health insurance card;
- Driver's licence;
- Canadian passport;
- Certificate of Indian Status; or
- Canadian Armed Forces identification card.
How to get involved in CBC's coverage of the campaign
Sign up for our election newsletter, Ballot Brief, and we'll deliver everything you need to know about the Quebec election, directly to your inbox. Here's the sign-up form.
Follow our reporters on the campaign buses:
- Elias Abboud with the Coalition Avenir Québec
- Cathy Senay with the Liberals
- Simon Nakonechny with the Parti Québécois
Join the conversation on social media:
Stay up to date on the latest polls with the CBC Poll Tracker.