When the Prime Minister wants to call an election, he or she asks the Governor General to dissolve Parliament. That request starts the  process and  machinery of a federal election in Canada. The Cabinet then directs the chief electoral officer to issue what are called writs of election  for each constituency  represented in Parliament.

In each riding, the election is supervised by a Returning Officer who is  responsible for preparing the voters' list. He or she also appoints a deputy  to  supervise the procedures in the subdivisions of each riding. The Returning Officer receives the nomination papers of the candidates, authorizes the printing of ballots, and sets the location of polling stations in each  riding. 

At each  polling station, the Deputy Returning Officer and a Poll Clerk watch over the voting process, along with what are called scrutineers.