List of Federal Returning Officers

Summary#

This Canada Gazette, Part I item (published January 13, 2024) publishes the official list of people appointed as returning officers for every federal electoral district. The list, issued under the Canada Elections Act and signed by Stéphane Perrault on December 22, 2023, gives each returning officer’s name, address and occupation.

What it does#

• Publishes the names, mailing addresses and listed occupations of the appointed returning officer for every federal riding across Canada.
• Covers ridings as set out under the 2013 Representation Order.
• Notes any ridings where the returning officer post is shown as Vacant.
• Refers to procedural notices (for example, a Standing Order about private bills) and provides a contact for the Private Members’ Business Office, but the main content is the returning-officer list.
• This is an administrative publication, not a new policy or law — it reports who has been appointed to these roles.

Who's affected#

• The returning officers named in the list and their offices.
• Elections Canada, political parties, local campaign teams and candidates who need to know or contact their returning officer.
• Voters who want to find the local official responsible for running and administering federal elections in their riding.
• Members of the public tracking which ridings have a vacant returning officer post (where indicated).

Why it matters#

• Returning officers run the practical, on-the-ground work of federal elections in each riding: organizing polling places, managing local staff, and handling candidate nominations and ballots. Knowing who they are matters for anyone involved in an election.
• The list gives contact details that candidates, parties and voters can use if they need election information or wish to raise problems locally.
• Vacant returning officer positions may be relevant to preparedness in the lead-up to an election.