1999 Annual Report To Navigate throughout this document use the bookmarks listed on the left. If the bookmarks window did not automatically launch when you opened this document, click on the show navigation button on the toolbar above. Continue... An independent office of the Legislative Assembly/Un bureau indépendant de l’Assemblé législative October 31, 2000 The Honourable George Hickes Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Room 244 Legislative Building Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0V8 Dear Mr. Speaker: I have the honour of submitting to you my Annual Report on the activities of Elections Manitoba including the conduct of the September 21, 1999 General Election. This report is submitted pursuant to subsection 10(2) of The Elections Act and subsection 99(1) of The Elections Finances Act. In accordance with subsection 10(3.1) of The Elections Act and subsection 99(2.1) of The Elections Finances Act, post-election and annual reporting under these statutes have been combined for the 1999 calendar year. The applicable legislation states that the Speaker shall lay the report before the Legislative Assembly if the Assembly is in session or, if not, within 15 days after the beginning of the next session. Pursuant to subsection 142(2) of The Elections Act, detailed election results were previously published in the Statement of Votes. This present report now concludes the statutory reporting requirements under The Elections Act concerning the 37th Provincial General Election. Respectfully yours, Richard D. Balasko Chief Electoral Officer Main Floor, 200 Vaughan Street/Rez-de-chaussée, 200, rue Vaughan, Winnipeg Manitoba R3C 1T5 (204) 945-3225 Toll-free in Manitoba/Sans frais au Manitoba : 1 800 282-8069 Fax/Télécopieur : (204) 945-6011 E-mail/c. élec. : [email protected] Web Site/Site web : www.elections.mb.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 ORGANIZATION CHART 4 INTRODUCTION AND HIGHLIGHTS 5 ANNUAL ACTIVITIES 7 Registration of Political Parties . .7 Political Party Annual Statements and Returns for Contributions . .8 Advisory and Ad Hoc Committees . .8 Constituency Associations . .10 Candidates' Campaign Deficits . .11 Manitoba Tax Credit Program . .11 Compliance Assistance and Public Disclosure . .12 Public Information . .13 37TH GENERAL ELECTION 15 Preparations for the General Election 15 Forms and Manuals . .16 Training . .16 Mapping . .17 Management Information Systems . .18 Policies and Procedures . .19 Communications . .21 Co-operative Ventures with Other Jurisdictions . .22 Operational Conduct of the Election 24 Appointment of Returning Officers . .24 Training . .25 Voter Registration . .25 Nominations . .28 Voting . .30 Special Voting . .30 Access to Polling Stations . .33 Public Information . .33 Judicial Recounts and Appeal . .35 Results . .35 Client and Staff Surveys . .36 Post Election Debriefing . .38 Financial Administration of the Election 39 Election Budget and Expenditures . .39 Payment of Returning Office Accounts . .41 Campaign Finances 43 Candidates and Official Agents . .43 Review of Financial Statements and Returns . .48 Reimbursement . .49 INNOVATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS 51 By-Election and General Election Preparations . .51 New Initiatives . .52 Ongoing Reviews . .53 LEGISLATIVE CHANGES 55 Recent Legislative Amendments . .55 Commission of Inquiry—Alfred M. Monnin . .55 Inquiry Recommendations—Legislative Amendments in 1999 . .56 Code of Ethics . .58 Upcoming Legislative Amendments . .58 RECOMMENDATIONS 61 The Elections Act 61 The Elections Finances Act 69 APPENDIX 73 Auditor’s Report . .75 ORGANIZATION CHART 1999 Chief Electoral Officer Statutory Advisory Richard D. Balasko Committee (The Elections Finances Act) Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Lorne Gibson Office Manager Returning Officers Laurette Greenlay (57) (Order-in-Council) Election Staff Management Systems Election Officials Approximately 10,000 Administrative Secretary Susie Mapue Manager of Elections Manager of Elections Operations and Finances Communications Scott Gordon David Wilkie Election Staff Election Staff Election Staff Communications, Election Accounts and Administrative, Shipping Mapping, RO Advisors Campaign Returns and Secretarial and Field Staff INTRODUCTION AND I HIGHLIGHTS or the first time following an election, the annual report and a report on The 1999 Provincial General the conduct of the election under The Elections Act as well as the annual Election was an election of Freport under The Elections Finances Act have been combined. Now considerable change. All under one cover, Elections Manitoba’s 1999 Annual Report outlines both the services, policies, procedures, operational and elections finance activities of Elections Manitoba and, pursuant practices and forms were to subsection 10(2)(b) of The Elections Act, incorporates the report on the carefully reviewed to comply conduct of the 37th General Election. with new legislation and to increase service to voters, candidates and political th The 37 General Election was held on September 21, 1999. This election posed parties. New electoral division many challenges to Elections Manitoba due to major legislative changes passed boundaries were also in 1998 and 1999. implemented for the general election. Amendments to The Elections Act included: • implementation of a system of absentee voting • improvements to enumeration and personal security provisions for voters • introduction of a longer revision period • use of revising agents to assist with voter registration revisions • extension of office hours in returning offices • introduction of a formal, annual public information mandate for Elections Manitoba Amendments to The Elections Finances Act included: • provisions to increase candidate and political party accountability • enhanced public disclosure of contributions and expenses • increased overall spending limits and the elimination of advertising spending limits • recognition of voluntarism by excluding it as an election expense • strengthened compliance and enforcement powers including an extended time limit for prosecution • clarification of the definition of election expenses • provision for advance payments and assignment of reimbursement for candidates and parties All of these changes led to major rewrites of manuals, forms and processes which had their debut during the 1999 election. More information on the General Election and the impact of the changes can be found in Part II The 37th General Election. The Commission of Inquiry into allegations of infractions during the 1995 General Election under The Elections Finances Act and The Elections Act concluded in 1999. The Commission’s final report in March of 1999 determined Introduction and Highlights 5 there had been breaches of both Acts but that the matter was ended since the limitation period for prosecutions had expired. However, the Commission did make several recommendations including recommendations for legislative amendments. The Chief Electoral Officer, following the Commission’s report and after consulting with the members of the political party advisory committee, made several recommendations for possible amendments to The Elections Finances Act and The Elections Act. The acts were amended in April 1999. A summary of the changes can be found in Part V Legislative Changes. Following the 1998 report of the Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission, boundary changes were approved in the spring of 1999 to all but four electoral divisions in the province. Although initially it was unclear as to which set of boundaries the election would proceed with, Elections Manitoba was prepared for either scenario. Ultimately, the new electoral division boundaries were implemented. Also, for the first time, Manitoba’s voters list was automated province wide—a goal which was accomplished through the coordination of over 600 field staff and in-house technical support. Elections Manitoba also designed and developed a new management information system. The 37th General Election became an election of firsts—the first time significant, broad-based amendments had been implemented in 10 years, the first election under the boundaries recommended in 1998, the first time the new management information system had been used, the first use of a risk-based review of financial returns and the first time the voters list had been automated province- wide. Elections Manitoba was well prepared for these challenges. The success of the 37th General Election was a direct result of a commitment to preparation and professionalism by the staff at Elections Manitoba. The following section of this report, Part II Annual Activities, provides information regarding the day-to-day activities of Elections Manitoba outside an election period. Part III, 37th General Election, provides detail concerning the conduct and administration of the 37th General Election. The impact of legislative changes made in 1998 and 1999 are discussed, as well as the cost of administering the election. Part IV, Innovations and Future Directions, provides priorities for Elections Manitoba over the next three years based on existing legislative mandates and on the identification of administrative improvements within the current legislative framework. There are limits, however, to the improvements that can be made under the current Acts. Parts V and VI of this report discuss recent legislative amendments and recommendations to amend The Elections Act and The Elections Finances Act. Richard D. Balasko Chief Electoral Officer 6 1999 Annual Report Elections