List of Federal Returning Officers

Summary#

This Canada Gazette, Part I notice publishes the official list of people appointed as returning officers for every federal electoral district. It lists each returning officer’s name, address and occupation, was signed by Stéphane Perrault (Chief Electoral Officer) on December 24, 2021, and appeared in the Gazette on January 15, 2022.

What it does#

• Publishes the full list of returning officers named under the Canada Elections Act for the districts set by the 2013 Representation Order.
• Gives the name, mailing address and occupation recorded for each returning officer.
• Covers districts across all provinces and territories.
• Shows some districts as Vacant where no returning officer had been named at the time of publication.
• Is a public, official record signed by the Chief Electoral Officer on December 24, 2021.

Who's affected#

• The people named as returning officers and their employers.
• Elections Canada staff who manage and support elections across districts.
• Political candidates, parties and campaign teams who need local election contacts for nominations and rules.
• Voters who want to contact their local returning officer for registration, voting locations, or other election questions.
• Journalists, researchers and others tracking election administration or local vacancies.

Why it matters#

• Returning officers run the on-the-ground work of federal elections in their district. Having their names and contact details public helps candidates, voters and officials find who is responsible locally.
• Seeing districts listed as Vacant can signal places where Election preparations may need attention before a vote.
• The list supports transparency about who is in charge of managing federal elections in each community.