2016 Annual Report of the Chief Electoral Officer
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Serving our province. Sharing your voice. The Year in Review | 2016 Annual Report Including Conduct of the 41st Provincial General Election, April 19, 2016 Servir notre province. Fair entendre votre voix. Faits saillants de l'année | Rapport annuel 2016 Y compris la tenue de la 41e élection générale provinciale du 19 avril 2016 IV Introduction 2016 Annual Report Pursuant to subsection 32(4) of the EA and subsection The Honourable Myrna Driedger September 1, 2017 107(3) of the EFA, an annual report that contains Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Dear Madame Speaker: recommendations for amendments to these Acts stands Room 244 Legislative Building referred to the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs Winnipeg, Manitoba I have the honour of submitting to you the annual report for consideration of those matters. The above-noted R3C 0V8 on the activities of Elections Manitoba, including the subsections also provide that the Committee shall begin conduct of the 41st general election, held on April 19, its consideration of the report within 60 days after the 2016. This report is submitted pursuant to subsection report is tabled in the Assembly. 32(1) of The Elections Act (EA) and subsection 107(1) of The Election Financing Act (EFA). In accordance with Respectfully yours, subsection 32(5) of the EA and subsection 107(1) of the EFA, post-election and annual reporting under these statutes have been combined. The applicable legislation states that the Speaker must table the report in the Assembly forthwith without delay Shipra Verma CPA, CA if the Assembly is sitting or, if it is not, within 15 days Chief Electoral Officer after the next sitting begins. Rapport annuel 2016 Introduction V En vertu du paragraphe 32(4) de la Loi électorale et Madame Myrna Driedger Le 1 septembre 2017 du paragraphe 107(3) de la Loi sur le financement Présidente de l’Assemblée législative Madame la Présidente, des élections, un rapport annuel qui contient des Palais législatif, bureau 244 recommandations visant à modifier ces lois doit être Winnipeg (Manitoba) J’ai l’honneur de vous présenter le rapport annuel sur soumis au Comité permanent des affaires législatives à R3C 0V8 les activités d’Élections Manitoba, en particulier la tenue des fins d’examen. Les paragraphes précités stipulent de la 41e élection générale, qui a eu lieu le 19 avril 2016. aussi que le Comité permanent doit commencer à Ce rapport est soumis à votre attention conformément examiner le rapport dans les 60 jours qui suivent son aux dispositions du paragraphe 32(1) de la Loi électorale dépôt à l’Assemblée législative. et du paragraphe 107(1) de la Loi sur le financement des élections. Conformément aux dispositions du Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame la Présidente, mes paragraphe 32(5) de la Loi électorale et du paragraphe salutations distinguées. 107(1) de la Loi sur le financement des élections, le La directrice générale des élections, rapport postélectoral et le rapport annuel exigés en vertu des deux lois ont été combinés. Les dispositions pertinentes stipulent que la présidente de l’Assemblée législative doit déposer sans délai les rapports à l’Assemblée si celle-ci siège ou, sinon, dans les quinze jours qui suivent l’ouverture de la session suivante. Shipra Verma CPA, CA VI Introduction 2016 Annual Report Preface Vision: To provide information, opportunities and resources The annual report is prepared in accordance with to foster excellence, participation and fairness in the the Chief Electoral Officer’s reporting requirements electoral process. under the EA and the EFA, as outlined in the letter of transmittal. Mission: Contents: To secure the democratic rights of all Manitobans I. Message from the CEO .................... VIII through the conduct of free and fair elections by enhancing public confidence in and awareness of the II. Conduct of the 41st general election .......... 1 electoral process and by ensuring compliance with III. Operational expenditures of the 41st political financing laws. general election . 39 IV. Campaign finance reporting ................ 51 V. Annual activities .......................... 61 VI. Recommendations for amendments to the EA and the EFA ............................... 73 Appendix: Candidates’ financial statements by electoral division Rapport annuel 2016 Introduction VII Préface Vision : Fournir des renseignements, des possibilités et Le rapport annuel est préparé conformément aux des ressources afin de promouvoir l’excellence, exigences du directeur général des élections en vertu la participation aux élections et l’impartialité du de la Loi électorale et de la Loi sur le financement processus électoral. des élections, comme indiqué dans la lettre d’accompagnement. Mission : Table des matières : Garantir les droits démocratiques de tous les I. Message de la directrice générale Manitobains en tenant des élections libres et justes, des élections ............................. VIII en sensibilisant davantage le public au processus électoral, en renforçant la confiance de la population II. Tenue de la 41e élection générale ............ 1 dans ce processus et en assurant le respect des lois III. Coûts opérationnels des 41e sur le financement des partis politiques. élections générales ........................ 39 IV. Rapport sur le financement électoral ........ 51 V. Activités annuelles ........................ 61 VI. Recommandations de modifications à la Loi électorale et à la Loi sur le financement des élections . .. 73 Annexe : Déclarations financiers des candidats par circonscription électorale VIII Introduction 2016 Annual Report I would also like to thank the many agencies that I. Message from help us reach out to support Manitobans across the province in exercising their right to vote. These include the Chief the Canadian Red Cross, Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, Manitoba Education, the Winnipeg Police Service, the Electoral Officer Nellie McClung Foundation, the Disabilities Issues Office and Communications Services Manitoba. We It is extremely rewarding to report on an election year. are also grateful to our many vendors who were Although the work of our organization is not top of mind responsive to our needs, even when it meant being for the public outside an election year, the continuous available around the clock and on weekends. work we do in the intervening years is critical to the success of the event itself. As we reflect on the general There are many ways that the success of an election election of 2016, we celebrate our achievements and can be measured. Voter satisfaction is one. In a post- recognize the work of all who contributed to the event. election survey of the public, almost all respondents said that their voting location was convenient, the The success of the 41st general election would not voting staff were polite and knowledgeable, and they have been possible without the hard work of many. I received fair or very fair treatment when voting. Voting would like to congratulate all Elections Manitoba staff, officers gave positive reports, with 9 out of 10 voting beginning with the small core group of permanent staff officials rating their experience as good or excellent. In and then expanding to headquarters support, returning general, returning officers felt they were well trained and officers, assistant returning officers, enumerators and prepared to run the election in their electoral divisions. voting officials who grew our staffing complement to 10,000 people. They are committed to the democratic Staff and voter surveys were one way we evaluated the principles enshrined in our legislation and determined to 2016 general election. Throughout the report, we review serve Manitobans by delivering free and fair elections. other indicators, such as engagement and turnout, voting patterns, efficiency and accuracy of processes, assistance to political participants, and quality of the voters list. 2016 Annual Report Introduction IX That said, the 2016 election also marked a turning point on province-wide enumeration would need to be accessibility and inclusiveness in the electoral with respect to the way elections are conducted in replaced with processes to create and maintain the process. These include expanding eligibility to Manitoba. Public needs and expectations are evolving register. Changes to the election calendar would work during the election to 16 & 17-year olds and and we must adapt our processes to meet these be required to accommodate these new processes. permanent residents, and making election day a expectations. As such, we have developed a series of Methods of updating the list through information- province-wide school in-service day. recommendations to modernize the electoral system sharing and the ability to communicate with voters The adoption of these recommendations will allow while maintaining the integrity of the voting process. on the register would need to be included. Bill 27 Elections Manitoba to further its commitment to service Most of these recommendations are included in Bill includes provisions to address these requirements. and accessibility for all Manitobans. 27, The Elections Amendment Act, which is before the There will also be a need to gather information for the Legislative Assembly at the time of writing. The success and lessons of 2016 together with proposed register from voters and reliable data sources such new legislation pave the way to the 2020 election. Two important objectives guided the development as Elections Canada, Vital Statistics, Manitoba Public Our new strategic