YOUR VOICE /YOUR FUTURE

David OwensAssistant Chief Electoral Officer

November 15, 2012NB Multicultural Council Annual Provincial Conference

Overview of Presentation

• Roles & Responsibilities of Elections NB• Structure of the NB electoral system• Elector qualifications• How to get on/update voters list• How to vote• How to become a candidate• How to work at an election• Elector outreach programs

Did you know…

• Who is the only New Brunswicker that meets all voting requirements but is not allowed to vote?

Did you know…

• Who is the only New Brunswicker that meets all voting requirements but is not allowed to vote?

• Michael Quinn, Chief Electoral Officer of NB

Roles & Responsibilities

• 16 full-time staff

To administer:• Provincial Elections and By-Elections;• Municipal Elections and By-Elections;• District Education Council and Regional

Health Authority Elections; and• Referendums/Plebiscites.

Roles & Responsibilities

Chief Electoral Officer is also Supervisor of Political Financing. He oversees:

• Public financing of the political process • Contribution limits• Election spending limits for parties &

candidates • Provides public disclosure of revenues

and expenditures• Third-Party Advertising

Provincial Electoral System

• 55 Electoral Districts (Ridings)• Boundary redistribution

underway reducing to 49 Electoral Districts

• 552,183 registered electors *• People move, some ridings

increase/decrease

• Divided into polling divisions which report to polling stations

* As of August 2012

2010 Election Results

Elected / Élu(e)s

  Total

L 13

PC 42

NDP/NPD 0

PVNBGP 0

PANB/AGNB 0

IND 0

Total 55

Municipal Electoral System

• Mayors & Councillors

• 101 Municipalities & 4 Rural Communities

• Many have wards

• School District councillors

• 4 Anglophone districts (41 sub-districts)

• 3 Francophone districts (27 sub-districts)

• Health Region members

• Region A, 8 sub-regions

• Region B, 8 sub regions

Qualifications To Vote In a Provincial Election

• A Canadian citizen

• 18 on or before polling day

• Will have been a resident in the province for at least 40 days before Election Day

• Reside in the electoral district on Election Day

Qualifications To Vote In A Municipal, District Education Council or Regional Health Authority Election

• A Canadian citizen

• 18 on or before polling day

• Will have been a resident in the province for at least 40 days before Election Day

• Live in the municipality, school district or health subregion on Election Day

How to get on the Voter’s List

• Meet qualifications to vote

• Present one or more pieces of

ID that between them show

your name, current address

and signature.

• NB drivers license contains all

three

• Other options include utility

bills, student ID’s, passports,

other documentation

• Friend vouching

How to update your voter information

• Reminder cards sent to every household in New Brunswick

• Notice to Vote cards sent to each elector 2 weeks prior to Election Day

• 1-888-858-VOTE; or• Go to your polling

station

Where to Vote

• Returning offices open approximately 1 month prior to Election Day

• Special Ballot

• Advance Polls

• Ordinary Polls

How to Vote

• A voter marks an X or fills in the circle next to the candidate they wish to vote for

• Ballots styles will vary between provincial election and Municipal, DEC, RHA elections

Candidate Qualifications

• Be eligible to vote• Depending on the type of election, live in

the:• Electoral District, or

• Municipality, School District, or Health Region

where you intend to run.• Complete nomination paper with 25/10

signatures from eligible voters

How to work at an election

• Be eligible to vote *• Apply on-line

www.electionsnb.ca; or • Contact your returning

office early in the election• During provincial elections,

government and opposition parties provide nominees. They must be equal in a polling station

Outreach Programs & Citizen Engagement

• Youth Outreach Strategy• University student unions visit 2007

• Pilot project-Satellite Returning Offices on campuses

• Youth Outreach Coordinator

• Employment of High School Students• Electors with disabilities• Seniors, Military, Inmates

Campus Satellite Returning Offices in 2010

• 4 full-service satellite returning offices opened on university and college campuses.

• Registration desks set up to add electors• 2,613 registered

• Opened flexible hours• 2,665 ballots cast

Employment of High School Students

• 219 high school students were hired to work in the May 2012 quadrennial elections

• 201 high school students were hired to work in the 2010 provincial general election

Accommodation & Accessibility

• Audio Vote Technology at Returning Offices

• Sign language videos• Sign language

interpreters• Communication series

developed for disability network

Other outreach groups• Seniors

• ‘Additional Polls’ at treatment centres

• In-House Voting

• Military• Targeted messaging

• Overseas voting coordination

• Inmates• Targeted messaging

• Special Ballot voting

QUESTIONS?