Compendium of Election Administration in Canada: a Comparative Overview

Compendium of Election Administration in Canada: A Comparative Overview As of August 30, 2016 Table of Contents A. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 A.1 Terminology .............................................................................................................................. 5 A.2 Overview of major legislative changes (September 2015–August 2016) ................................. 9 B. Redistribution of Electoral Boundaries ...................................................................................... 13 Table B.1 Frequency of redistribution and criteria for determining boundaries ............................ 15 Table B.2 Electoral boundaries commissions ............................................................................... 17 Table B.3 Public hearings ............................................................................................................. 20 Table B.4 Submission of report to Parliament or Legislative Assembly ....................................... 22 C. Administration of Elections ......................................................................................................... 25 Table C.1 Chief Electoral Officer .................................................................................................. 27 Table C.2 Advisory committee of political parties ......................................................................... 31 Table C.3 Appointment of election officers ................................................................................... 33 Table C.4 Staff and payment ........................................................................................................ 38 D. Entitlement to Vote and Registration of Electors ...................................................................... 39 Table D.1 Registers of electors, enumeration and revision .......................................................... 41 Table D.2 Right to vote and voter identification requirements at the polls ................................... 46 Table D.3 Lists of electors ............................................................................................................ 49 E. Voting Process .............................................................................................................................. 55 Table E.1 Polling divisions, polling stations and polling day ......................................................... 58 Table E.2 Alternative methods of voting ....................................................................................... 61 Table E.3 Assistance to voters on polling day .............................................................................. 70 Table E.4 Final tally of all votes .................................................................................................... 72 F. Nomination and Registration of Political Entities ...................................................................... 77 Table F.1 Requirements to be a candidate ................................................................................... 80 Table F.2 Impediments to being a candidate ................................................................................ 81 Table F.3 Requirements for nomination and registration .............................................................. 82 Table F.4 Appointment of official agents....................................................................................... 85 G. Election Financing and Advertising ........................................................................................... 89 Table G.1 Public funding and reimbursement .............................................................................. 92 Table G.2 Contributions – limits; allowable sources ................................................................... 100 1 Table G.3 Limits on expenses ................................................................................................... 103 Table G.4 Deadline for reporting contributions and expenses ................................................... 106 Table G.5 Entities required to report ........................................................................................... 108 Table G.6 Requirements of financial reports .............................................................................. 109 Table G.7 Specific provisions governing advertising and opinion polls ...................................... 111 Table of Contents | 3 H. Enforcement ................................................................................................................................ 119 Table H.1 Enforcement authority ................................................................................................ 120 Table H.2 General offences and penalties ................................................................................. 123 Table H.3 Additional penalties for corrupt or illegal practices and major election offences ....... 124 Table H.4 Specific offences and penalties ................................................................................. 126 I. Referendums, Plebiscites, Recall and Initiative ....................................................................... 131 Table I.1 Proclamation, question and conditions ........................................................................ 135 Table I.2 Referendum/plebiscite process ................................................................................... 140 J. Senate Nominee Elections ......................................................................................................... 147 Table J.1 Senate nominee elections .......................................................................................... 148 Table J.2 Senate nominee election financing ............................................................................. 150 Appendix A. Dates of Most Recent General Elections ................................................................ 151 Appendix B. Canadian Election Officials ...................................................................................... 153 Appendix C. French Equivalence of Terminology ....................................................................... 155 Appendix D. English Equivalence of Terminology ...................................................................... 157 Appendix E. List of Legislation, Regulations and Official Reports ........................................... 159 4 | Compendium of Election Administration in Canada: A Comparative Overview A. Introduction Each jurisdiction in Canada conducts the election of members to its Legislative Assembly or Parliament within its own framework of election law and administrative practice. The Compendium of Election Administration in Canada: A Comparative Overview is a comprehensive summary of the federal, provincial and territorial electoral frameworks. It is based on the legislation in force and does not include administrative practices not mentioned in the law with the exception of the section concerning advisory committees of political parties. The Compendium covers most major elements of the electoral process, including the redistribution of electoral boundaries, the administration of elections, the registration of electors, the voting process, the nomination and registration of political entities, election financing and advertising, enforcement of the legislation, and referendums, plebiscites, recalls and initiatives. However, the reader should be aware that Elections Canada is not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the information herein provided. This information is provided for convenience only. In interpreting or applying the Acts, the reader should refer to the official texts or obtain the services of a legal expert. This document is up to date as of August 30, 2016. A.1 Terminology Terminology often varies between jurisdictions. Therefore, in tables, the sections on specific jurisdictions preserve the terminology of the legislation. Eight jurisdictions produce legislation in both English and French: Canada, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. For French and English equivalences of terminology in those jurisdictions, please refer to Appendix C and Appendix D. Italicized terms in the appendices are used in the federal legislation. The following is a brief explanation of equivalent terms. For ease of reference, this general terminology is employed in the summaries at the beginning of each section as well as in table titles. Chief Electoral Officer The appointed official who oversees the administration of elections in each jurisdiction is known as the Chief Electoral Officer. Electoral district For electoral purposes, every jurisdiction is divided into geographic units, each of which elects one member to the legislative body. In Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta, these geographic units are known as electoral divisions; in Saskatchewan and Nunavut, they are known as constituencies. In Canada and in all other provinces and territories, they are electoral districts. Informally, they are often called ridings. A. Introduction | 5 Election advertising Also known in Ontario as political advertising, election advertising means the transmission to the public by any means during an election period of an advertising message that promotes or opposes a registered

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