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The  dictates every employee who is an eligible elector is allowed to have three consecutive hours off during voting hours on polling day to cast their vote at a time that’s at the convenience of the employer.

When are polls open for the federal election?

In most of Ontario, polls open on April 28 at 9:30 a.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. ET. Voting times vary in other areas of Ontario and Canada. To check voting hours, visit for more.

If the hours of your work don’t allow for three consecutive hours off on voting day, while polls are open you may request the time off.

What if you work 9 to 5?

Elections Canada affirms by law everyone who is eligible to vote must have three consecutive hours to cast their vote on election day. If you work a typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift where polls are open until 8 p.m. or later, you would have three hours to cast your ballot without taking time off work.

However, if your work hours don’t allow for the legally required three consecutive hours to vote, your employer must give you time off.

For example, Elections Canada says if you live in a riding where voting hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and you usually work from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., your hours of work will not allow for three consecutive hours for voting.

Options include leaving early or arriving late

This means in order to give you three consecutive hours to vote, your employer could allow you to arrive late such as at 12:30 p.m., let you leave early such as at 6:30 p.m., or give you three hours off at some point during the work day.

Elections Canada explains your employer has the right to decide when the time off will be given.

Exceptions to the rule for those in the transportation industry

However, Elections Canada says for employers in the transportation industry, the requirement to give an employee three consecutive hours off to vote doesn’t apply if these four conditions are met: the employer is a company that transports goods or passengers by land, air or water, the employee is employed outside of his or her polling division, the employee is employed in the operation of a means of transportation; and the time off cannot be allowed without interfering with the transportation service.

The Election Act says your employer can’t deduct pay or penalize you for your time off during work to allow for the three consecutive hours to vote.

For more information about the Election Act, and your rights as a voter, visit you can .