Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019
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TD 117-19(2) TABLED ON MAY 28, 2020 CHIEFCHIEF ELECTORAL ELECTORAL OFFICER’S OFFICER’S REPORT ONREPORT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION 1 CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER’S REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION 25 February, 2020 The Honourable Frederick Blake Jr. Speaker Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories P.O. Box 1320 Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9 Dear Mr. Speaker, Pursuant to subsection 266(2) of the Elections and Plebiscites Act, I have the distinct privilege of presenting the CEO Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. This report provides an overview of election event initiatives and administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election. It also includes recommendations for the 19th Assembly of the Northwest Territories consideration. Sincerely, Nicole Latour Chief Electoral Officer, Northwest Territories 3 DEH CHO CONTENTS PERSONNEL .................................................... 7 EDUCATION ................................................... 12 ELECTION TECHNOLOGY ........................................ 18 YOUNG ELECTOR OUTREACH .................................... 20 REAL ESTATE ................................................... 24 WRITS ........................................................ 26 NOMINATION PERIOD ........................................... 27 REGISTER OF ELECTORS ......................................... 29 OUTREACH .................................................... 35 VOTING ....................................................... 39 CANDIDATE FINANCIAL REPORTS ................................. 53 COMPLIANCE AGREEMENTS ..................................... 55 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................... 57 RECOMMENDATIONS Elections and Plebiscites Act Division B ........... 75 APPENDICES .................................................. 105 4 CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER’S REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION REMARKS OF THE CEO The 2019 Territorial General Election (TGE) saw 531 Following the 2015 TGE the absence of the 18-35 Another significant first for the 2019 TGE, as well as more electors at the polls than the previous event year old voters was abundantly clear. Concentrated in Canada, was the introduction of online balloting. in 2015. However, overall attendance at the polls outreach on the part of Elections NWT to reach this For the first time in the country, electors were able to increased ten percent to achieve 54% voter turnout. demographic appears to have had some success as cast their ballot using an online voting platform. As an turnout data shows an 11% increase in this age range. option electors could make application for an online Recognizing 4% as a marginal increase in electors ballot as part of the Absentee Poll. Although only served, the overall increase in voter turnout can Enhanced outreach was a major focus for the 3.7% of electors who voted used the online ballot, mostly be qualified by two main explanations: administration of the 2019 TGE. The outreach the opportunity to engage with an online platform 1) improved accuracy of the Register of Electors initiatives included: as a means to vote in an electoral event should data, and 2) a notable increase in young elector likely remain a much needed solution and option for attendance. 1) a youth engagement strategy that introduced electors when delivering future electoral events in the the youth ambassador and young poll worker Northwest Territories. While some are sceptical of data managed Registers recruitment programs, over the past practice of enumerating electors To that end, there are 61 of a collective 88 every election year, the election administration 2) enhanced education strategies for all electoral recommendations that deal specifically with Division standard in every Canadian Jurisdiction is now data event stakeholders: administrators, candidates B of the Elections and Plebiscites Act (Act). Although management. The fact is enumerations only capture a and their official agents and electors, and, this may seem an extraordinary amount it is much point in time months in advance of an electoral event simpler in that the vast majority of recommended 3) a social media and editorial-copy event marketing and compiled data is subject to change between changes merely propose to split the current Absentee strategy. undertaking counts/registrations and the event. Poll that has two channels into two independent polls, one for the ballot administered by mail and one for Data management, being a relatively new approach As the report shares, feedback on all outreach efforts have been overwhelmingly positive and the the ballot administered online. Referring to the two to managing electoral Registers, also has its channels under a single poll proved to be confusing challenges; the primary one being the cleanliness/ accomplishments have now set a benchmark for future events in this regard. for many and in reality both channels presented as accuracy of the data sets used to compile the separate polls in that they required separate counts Register. However specific data management and reporting internally. strategies applied between, and just prior to electoral events, have significantly improved the accuracy of the Register of Electors of the Northwest Territories. 5 The other noteworthy change to Division B of the Act is to sunset the Multi-district poll. Introduced in the 2011 TGE it was poorly attended in both 2011 and 2015 and with the introduction of online balloting is somewhat obsolete. The Multi-District Poll had also been used to administer ballots in correctional centres, but the recommendation to revert back to the use of the Mail ballot in the legislation was taken primarily due to election worker security concerns. Apart from the focus on Division B there are 27 additional recommendations that propose changes that will improve election administration from operational and fiscal perspectives. For the most part these recommendations support the continued efforts of modernization in election administration and work to ensure the Act is updated to reflect current practices and ensure the utmost integrity of election administration. 6 CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER’S REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION PERSONNEL Office of the Chief Electoral Officer Event Staff The staff of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer swelled to 6 persons to support Elections NWT in delivering the 2019 Territorial General Election. Apart from Chief Electoral Officer, Nicole Latour, the team was comprised of: • Patrizia Thagard, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Responsibilities are to ensure the education of election officers, supervise supply logistics and oversee Elections NWT online systems. • Ranald Matheson, Finance Officer Responsibilities included lease management, officer and election worker remuneration, and the review of candidate financial reporting. • Luisa Esteban, Office Administrator This position supports the duties of the Deputy Chief and the Finance Officer. Left to right: Nara Dapilos, Patrizia Thagard, Ranald Matheson, Nicole Latour, Drew Kirizopoulos, Luisa Esteban. • Nara Dapilos, Youth Coordinator Responsibilities included the development, management and reporting of all youth outreach initiatives. • Drew Kirizopoulos, Summer Student The position assisted with supply logistics and worked extensively with address range data 7 POLL TYPE BY ELECTORAL DISTRICT Electoral Districts 1 NNAPT 2 INI TIN LAES 3 INI OOT LAE Election Officers and Workers 4 MACENIE DELTA At the close of nominations the 2019 Territorial General Election realized acclamations in 5 SAHT three electoral districts and contests in 16 of the 19 electoral districts. As the table 1a (Page 6 NAHENDEH 9) indicates each electoral district began with a full complement of election officers. While 3 7 2 MONFI three electoral districts ended their events early, a total of 318 election officers and workers 1 15 8 DEH CHO 14 were engaged to deliver the electoral events through the Northwest Territories, as shown 4 16 9 on Table 2 (Page 11). Apart from the 16 polls administered in the office of the Returning HA RIER NORTH 10 Officers 99 additional polls were held in the 16 electoral districts. 17 19 HA RIER SOTH 5 18 11 THEACHA 12 T NEDHIILIDEH 9 13 ELLONIFE NORTH 10 7 14 ELLONIFE CENTRE 15 FRAME LAE 13 16 RANGE LAE 6 12 17 8 ELLONIFE SOTH 18 AM LAE 11 8 Deh Cho RO 15 Frame Lake RO 19 Great Slave RO 9 Hay River North 10 Hay River South RO 19 GREAT SLAE Loretta Landry Mona Durkee Carol Nychka RO Marny Twigge Heather Coakwell 3 Inuvik Boot Lake RO 2 Inuvik Twin Lakes RO 18 Kam Lake RO 4 Mackenzie Delta RO 7 Monfwi RO 6 Nahendeh RO 1 Nunakput RO 16 Range Lake RO Chris Garven Mitchell MacQuarrie Yvette Schreder Grace Martin Harriet Koyina Vanessa Waugh Donna Wolki Melanie Murphy 5 Sahtu RO 11 Thebacha RO 12 Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh RO 14 YK Centre RO 13 YK North RO 17 YK South RO Michel Erb Lynda B. Martin Antoinette Lafferty Tamlin Gilbert Amanda Mallon Lynda Comerford 8 CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER’S REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE 2019 TERRITORIAL GENERAL ELECTION Table 1a: Electoral Districts with multiple communities ELECTORAL DISTRICT Communities Served Additional Assistant ELECTORAL DISTRICT Communities Served Additional Assistant Returning Officer (RO) RO community bolded; Returning Officers