You vote in a federal election to choose your preferred Member of Parliament for the electoral district where you live. If your MP belongs to a political party, they will often act in accordance with that party's positions and policies.

You are not voting for the Prime Minister directly. The leader of whichever political party wins the most seats in Parliament, or presides over a coalition of parties, is typically appointed to be Prime Minister.

Your MP will vote on whether proposed legislation—or, bills—should become law, and represent your district on matters of national importance. Areas of federal jurisdiction include Indigenous affairs, finance, criminal law, international relations, industry regulation, trade, or national services such as the postal service.

You vote in a provincial election to choose your preferred Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta (MLA) for the electoral district where you live. The provincial government is responsible for matters including education, energy, health services, provincial courts and prisons, infrastructure, and community services.

You are not voting for the Premier directly. The leader of whichever party wins the most seats in the legislative assembly is typically appointed to be the Premier.

Your MLA will vote on provincial legislation, and, if they belong to a political party, they will often act in accordance with that party's positions and policies. Provincial parties may share names or positions with federal parties, but they are not always related.

You vote in a municipal election to choose your preferred Mayor of Calgary, and your preferred City Councillor for your area. The Mayor serves the interests of Calgary as a whole, while your Councillor represents the electoral district (or "ward") where you live. While the Mayor has no greater council voting rights than your Councillor, they can serve as a tie-breaker.

Calgary City Council is responsible for local matters including public transit, parks, recreation programs, animal and bylaw services, waste collection, drinking water, and police and fire services. You will also have the opportunity to elect trustees to Calgary's Board of Education, which oversees the budgets and facilities for K-12 schools in the city.

In a Students' Union general election, you will get to choose multiple representatives. All eligible students can vote for the four Executives of the Students' Legislative Council (the President and three-Vice Presidents), who will represent students full-time on committees and boards that govern the University of Calgary. Executives also advocate for students before all tiers of government.

All eligible students can vote on any referendum or plebiscite set by the SU, and select additional student representatives to sit on the University's Senate (which governs external matters) and Board of Governors (which governs internal matters). Only voters enrolled in a particular Faculty can vote for Faculty representatives, including during by-elections.

Canadian citizens aged at least 18 are eligible to vote. You must still be registered before you can. Canadians are usually added to the National Register of Electors once they're identified as eligible by other bodies (e.g. driver's licence agencies), but you should check you're registered at the right address, or registered at all.

You can check your registration status or amend your address and other details through the Online Voter Registration Service run by Elections Canada, the official body that administers federal elections.

Canadian citizens who are residents of Alberta and at least 18 years of age can vote in Alberta's provincial elections. See more on what defines a resident below. Albertans aged 16 or 17 can register as future voters, to be added to the register automatically when they turn 18.

It's a good idea to register to vote in advance of election through the VoterLink platform run by Elections Alberta, the official body that administers Alberta's provincial elections. You can also use this tool to update your address and personal details.

If you are a Canadian citizen, a resident of Calgary, and at least 18 years old, you are eligible to vote in municipal elections. You 'register' at the voting station, by bringing a piece of acceptable identification that shows you are a Calgary resident. Guidelines may change ahead of the October 2025 election, so be sure to check Elections Calgary's website before you go to vote.

An undergraduate student enrolled in at least one undergraduate credit course at the University of Calgary (including credential students, open studies students, and visiting students) is an Active Member of the SU.

In other words, if you pay the SU fee, you are automatically eligible to vote in any general election or plebiscite held by the SU (no registration needed!).

Links in the bullet points below will take you to guidance from Elections Canada, explaining how to vote...

You can check in with Elections Alberta for information on how to vote...

We're still waiting for the City's updated guidelines. Traditionally, voting is conducted by attending voting stations, though electors were able to vote by mail under special circumstances in the 2021 General Election. Make sure to check in with Elections Calgary before voting day for the latest information.

Voting is primarily conducted online, through your my.ucalgary.ca Student Centre. Where appropriate, the SU will also maintain on-campus voting stations, particularly during General Elections. Keep an eye on our website or Instagram around election season for the latest information.

Enter the postal code of the address at which you have registered to vote into Elections Canada's Voter Information Service. You will see the name of your electoral district (also known as a "constituency" or "riding"), and, when an election is upcoming, information on all the candidates running to represent you.

By entering your registered address, you can use Elections Alberta's 'Who's My MLA?' tool to identify your provincial electoral division, as well as your current representative in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections Alberta will maintain information on candidates for these divisions closer to the election.

You can find a full list of all Nominated Candidates hoping to win your vote in the next City of Calgary election on the City of Calgary website. Not sure what ward you're in? Check your address via this tool.

Ahead of any election, you can consult the Elections section of our website. We will host a breakdown of candidates, the positions they're running for, and their campaign platforms.