SUMMARY

The purpose of this enactment is to remove political influence in appointing returning officers, assistant returning officers, deputy returning officers and poll clerks. It provides for appointments to be made by the Chief Electoral Officer. The returning officer will be consulted before appointments of other officers are made. This will facilitate greater consistency and continuance in office and the development of experience.

It also adds to the list of exclusions from being appointed as election officer those persons who have been recent candidates in federal or provincial elections, party officers, members of constituency associations, members of the staff of parliamentarians or are currently publicly active in partisan politics in the community.