Elections BC

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Elections BC
ElectionsBC.svg
Agency overview
Formed 1995
Jurisdiction Provincial Elections in BC
Headquarters 100-1112 Fort Street, Victoria, British Columbia
Employees 44 (Permanent) up to 32,000 (election period)[1]
Annual budget $8,961,000 [1]
Agency executive
  • Dr. Keith Archer, Chief Electoral Officer
Website EBC Homepage
File:Electionsbc votercard.jpg
Voter card for the 2005 provincial elections.

Elections BC is a non-partisan office of the British Columbia legislature responsible for conducting provincial and local elections, by-elections, petitions, referenda, plebiscites in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its federal equivalent is Elections Canada.

Responsibilities

Elections BC (formally, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of British Columbia) is a non-partisan office of the British Columbia Legislature responsible for conducting provincial and local elections, by-elections, petitions, referenda, plebiscites in British Columbia. Elections BC compiles and maintains a list of eligible voters as well as sets and adjusts the boundaries of electoral districts.[2]

Elections BC is also responsible for regulating campaign financing and advertising and the registration of political parties. To retain their official status, political parties must file annual financial reports with Elections BC.[2][3] Registration entitles parties to have their name on the ballot where they run candidates, issue tax receipts and spend on election campaigns.[4] As of 4 November 2015, 22 political parties are registered in British Columbia.[5]

In advance of elections, a District Electoral Officer (DEO) and a Deputy District Electoral Officer (DDEO) represent Elections BC in each electoral district and establish a temporary office to conduct the election, often shortly before the writ of election is dropped by the government.

Elections BC is subject to the following legislation: Election Act (1996),[6] Financial Disclosure Act (1996),[7] Local Government Act (1996),[8] the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act (2014).,[9] and the Recall and Initiative Act (1996).[10]

Fixed election dates

British Columbia was the first province to legislate fixed election dates. The next provincial election is set for May 9, 2017.[3]

Candidacy fees and requirements

A candidate is required under the Election Act to gather the signatures of 75 valid voters in their electoral district. A nomination deposit of $250 per candidate is required. Candidates who receive 15 per cent of the total vote receive a full refund. All others forfeit the deposit.[11]

List of Chief Electoral Officers

Chief Electoral Officers forfeit their right to vote in elections they oversee. They may not be a member of a political party or contribute to candidate campaigns.[12]

  • Dr. Keith Archer (September 21, 2011 – present)
  • Harry Neufeld (November 7, 2002 - June 5, 2010)
  • Robert A. Patterson (May 2, 1990 - June 6, 2002)
  • Harry Morris Goldberg (April 15, 1980 - May 2, 1990)
  • Kenneth Loudon Morton (June 1, 1968 - October 1, 1979)
  • Frederick Harold Hurley (April 1, 1947 - June 1, 1968)[13]

Election expenses

Election
Year		 Total
Election Expenses		 Electoral Division
Cost		 CEO Office
Cost		 Voter Registration
Cost		 Electors
on List		 Average Cost/elector Turnout Percentage Sources
1996 $15,574,526 $8,891,749 $5,186,654 $1,496,123 2,227,424 $6.99 1,592,655 71.5% [14] -
2001 $18,129,588 $11,607,098 $5,186,654 $1,615,849 2,254,920 $8 1,599,765 70.95% [15] [16] [17] -
2005 $22,909,644 $13,624,872 $9,284,772 $3,244,918 2,845,284 $8 1,774,269 58.19% [18]

[19] [20]

 -
2009 $35,260,610 $21,170,173 $14,090,437 $2,912,687 3,238,737 $12 1,651,567 51% [21] [22] -
2013 $34,808,125 $22,874,036 $11,934,089 $5,982,981 3,116,626 $10.96 1,813,912 57.1% [23]

Note: Enumeration or voter registration expenses were included in total election expenses up to the 2001 Election. As of 2005, Elections BC excluded enumeration expenses from its calculation of total election expenses.

Candidates per election

Election
Year		 Total
Candidates		 Electoral
Districts		 Number
Political
Parties		 Registered
Constituency
Associations		 Sources
1991 317 75 N/A N/A [24] -
1996 513 75 18 142 [25] -
2001 456 79 28 205 [26] -
2005 412 79 45 163 [27]

[28]

 -
2009 345 85 32 128 [29] [30] -
2013 376 85 26 159 [31][32]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Elections BC 2007-2008 Annual Report
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/about/what-we-do/ Elections BC What We Do web page. Accessed October 21, 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/about/ About Elections BC web page. Accessed October 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20E%20--/Election%20Act%20%5BRSBC%201996%5D%20c.%20106/00_Act/96106_09.xml#part9 Election Act, Part 9 — Registration of Political Parties and Constituency Associations
  5. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/fin/Registered-Political-Parties-Information.pdf Registered Political Parties
  6. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96106_00 Election Act legislation
  7. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96139_01 Financial Disclosure Act legislation
  8. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20L%20--/Local%20Government%20Act%20%5BRSBC%201996%5D%20c.%20323/00_Act/96323_04.xml#section42 Local Government Act, Part 3
  9. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/14018 Local Elections Campaign Financing Act legislation
  10. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96398_00
  11. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20E%20--/Election%20Act%20%5BRSBC%201996%5D%20c.%20106/00_Act/96106_05.xml#part5 Election Act, Part 5 - Candidates
  12. ↑ http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20E%20--/Election%20Act%20%5BRSBC%201996%5D%20c.%20106/00_Act/96106_02.xml#section5 Election Act - Election and Other Officials
  13. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/about/ceo/ Elections BC CEOs
  14. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/1996-SOVGeneralElection.pdf General Election Report 1996
  15. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2001GEResults/2001-SOVGeneralElection.pdf General Election Results 2001
  16. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2001_arep.pdf Elections BC Annual Report 2001
  17. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/ceofin2001.pdf Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 37th Provincial General Election
  18. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2005GEResults/SOV-GEcomplete.pdf Elections BC, Statement of Votes, 38th Provincial General Election, May 17, 2005
  19. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2005-CEOreportRefOnElectoralReform.pdf Report of the Chief Electoral Officer, 38th Provincial General Election, 2005 Referendum on Electoral Reform, May 17, 2005
  20. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2005-TargetedEnumeration.pdf Report of the Chief Electoral Officer, Targeted Enumeration and Voter Registration
  21. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2009GE/2009-GE-SOV.pdf Elections BC, Statement of Votes 39th Provincial General Election, May 12, 2009
  22. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2009EnumerationReport.pdf Elections BC, Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2009 Enumeration
  23. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2013-General-Election-Report.pdf Elections BC, Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 40th Provincial General Election, May 14, 2013
  24. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/96_arep.pdf Elections BC 1995/1996 Annual Report
  25. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/96_arep.pdf Elections BC 1995/1996 Annual Report
  26. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2001GEResults/2001-SOVGeneralElection.pdf Elections BC, Statement of Votes, 37th Provincial General Election, May 16, 2001
  27. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/0405AnnualReport.pdf Elections BC Annual Report 2004/2005
  28. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/news/n_050504.pdf BC Chief Electoral Office News Release, 2005 Provincial General Election Nomination of Candidates, May 4, 2005
  29. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/news/2009-candidates Elections BC news release, Your Candidates for the 2009 Provincial General Election
  30. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/0809-Annual-Report.pdf Elections BC Annual Report 2008/2009
  31. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/AR1213SP1316.pdf Elections BC Annual Report 2012/2013
  32. ↑ http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2013-General-Election-Report.pdf Elections BC, Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 40th Provincial General Election, May 14, 2013

External links

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