Municipal election to be held two weeks earlier

While it still needs to receive royal assent and proclamation, the Good Government Bill was passed by the Ontario legislature last week and so it’s likely municipal elections will be held two weeks earlier from now on.
Bill 212 will reform the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 in several ways, including moving election day from the second Monday in November (Nov. 8) to the fourth Monday in October (Oct. 25).

Town clerk Glenn Treftlin said the change is date puts a little more pressure on how soon preparation work has to be done for the election, adding he’s busy working right now to get details sorted out.
For example, a bylaw to confirm the use of the vote-by-mail for the 2010 election will come forward for council’s approval at its Dec. 14 meeting.
“I want to know well in advance what type of election am I going to be having here,” noted Treftlin.
“If it is an alternative method, then I have to contract with certain parties to provide the service and I want to get into that as soon as possible if that’s [council’s] direction,” he explained.
Other changes, which also will impact the election of local school board trustees, will include:
•making voting places more accessible (the clerk must ensure each voting place is accessible to person with disabilities, have regard for the needs of candidates and electors with disabilities, and make a public election accessibility measures report within 90 days after voting day);
•changes to campaign expenses (such as a new aggregate contribution limit of $5,000 per contributor in each jurisdiction, nomination fees and interest on loans are now included in the campaign spending limit, expenses related to a compliance audit or to a candidate’s disability are now excluded from the spending limit, and clarification of what a fundraising function is; and
•greater penalties for committing offences related to the election (maximum fines increased from $5,000 to $25,000 for individuals, $50,000 for corporations, up to six months’ imprisonment and ineligibility to vote/run in next election, or ineligibility to run for the next eight years if the offence was committed knowingly).
Treftlin said the biggest change for the Town of Fort Frances is the date change since many issues, such as accessibility, already are being addressed (such as having voting equipment to assist the visually-impaired).
“I am taking a look at what we have, and trying to establish, ‘Okay, we have this. Now what more might we want to do or should do?’” he remarked.
Meanwhile, some local residents may want to start thinking about running for mayor or council over the holidays since they can start filing their nomination papers Jan. 4, said Treftlin, adding this will be publicly advertised in the near future.
Nominations will close the second Friday of September (Sept. 10) at 2 p.m., instead of 5 p.m. on the fourth Friday (Sept. 24).
Withdrawal of any nominations also must be made by 2 p.m. on Sept. 10.
The last day to pass a bylaw to put a question on the ballot is April 28 while the deadline for an alternative voting bylaw is June 30.
The deadline to appoint an election audit committee is Oct. 1.
Polls will open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on election day, just as in past years.
The first day of the new council term will be Dec. 1. The deadline for candidates to file their campaign finances will be March 25, 2011.
For financial purposes, the regular campaign will be considered to have ended Dec. 31, 2010.
If a candidate has incurred costs related to a recount, controverted election, or compliance audit, they may re-open their campaign and raise funds until June 30, 2011, then make a supplementary filing of campaign finances before Sept. 30, 2011.
But unlike now, there no longer will be an opportunity for a second six-month supplementary campaign period.
According to a press release from the province, the Good Government Bill “will strengthen the integrity of local elections by clarifying campaign finance rules and creating new compliance and enforcement measures.
“Strong municipal governments depend on a fair and efficient municipal elections process,” Municipal Affairs and Housing minister Jim Watson said in the release.
“These legislative reforms would strengthen the integrity of local elections,” he added.
According to the province, the reforms are in response to issues identified by councils, candidates, voters, and election administrators.
Once the bill receives royal assent and proclamation, the amendments to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 will become law.
The process will be reviewed again following the 2010 municipal election.