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Printed by Elections Nunavut 2011 Contact us for more information print or electronic in any of Nunavuts ofcial languages.
Elections Nunavut
Box 39, 43 Sivulliq Ave. Rankin Inlet, Nunavut X0C 0G0
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................. 1 Election Vocabulary ..................................... 2 Election Period Calendar ............................... 9 1) The Candidate ......................................11
What is a candidate? Who can be a candidate? Who cant be a candidate? What happens if a candidate dies? What does elected by acclamation mean? What happens if a candidate changes their mind? In what order are candidates names on the ballot?
What information about the campaign manager do you need for the declaration of candidacy? What are the rules to le the declaration of candidacy? What happens if the RO accepts a declaration of candidacy? When candidates and nancial agents need information or help, who do they turn to? What happens if the RO rejects a declaration of candidacy? What happens if the RO accepts a declaration of candidacy, but gives ofcial Notice?
Introduction
This Guide is a summary of parts of the Nunavut Elections Act - laws to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly. Candidates must use and follow this Guide, but it does not replace the laws. This Guide has information about who can and can not be a candidate. It shows what candidates must do, and when and how they must do it during the pre-election, election, and post election periods. It includes samples of the main forms that candidates use. The Guide has information about general elections and by-elections. Most of the laws are the same for both. The Guide clearly shows where the laws are dierent for a by-election. Each candidate MUST have a nancial agent. Elections Nunavut has other information that candidates and nancial agents may nd useful: Guide for Financial Agents. Guide to Manage a Campaign. Voter information brochures. Constituency maps. Nunavut Elections Act. Guide to the Nunavut Elections Act - a summary. Contact Elections Nunavut for copies of these documents, in any of Nunavuts ocial languages.
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Election Vocabulary
Acclamation: A candidate wins by acclamation when theyre the only candidate in their constituency. Nobody votes. Advance vote: A way to vote before Election Day. You vote at the polling station, 7 days before Election Day, any time from 12pm to 7pm local time. Afrm: A formal, legal promise that something is true; a promise to do something; the most serious promise a person can make. If you break this promise its the same as breaking the law. Similar to declaration, oath, or swear. Assistant Returning Ofcer (ARO): The Returning Ocer (RO) hires one or more AROs for their constituency. The ARO can accept declarations of candidacy and helps the RO with all other work during the election period. Ballot: The ocial paper we use to mark our vote. It lists the candidates names in alphabetical order. By-Election: An election in only one constituency. It happens after a general election when the MLAs seat becomes vacant for some reason. Campaign: The advertising, signs, buttons, speeches, and other things a candidate uses to make people want to vote for them. Campaign manager: The person who coordinates and looks after a candidates campaign. The candidate appoints the campaign manager. Campaign material: Any ads, signs, buttons, banners, posters, and other things in favour of one candidate, or against other candidates. Ads may be on radio, TV, Internet, and in newspapers.
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Candidate: An eligible voter who wants to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), and who les a declaration of candidacy that Elections Nunavut accepts. Chief Electoral Ofcer (CEO): The CEO is in charge of Elections Nunavut. The Commissioner of Nunavut appoints this person to oversee the Nunavut Elections Act. Elections Nunavut is all the people responsible to organize and carry out territorial elections. Close of candidacy: 2pm local time, 31 days before Election Day. Constituency: A geographic area and the people who live there. Nunavut has 19 constituencies. The people in each constituency elect a Member of the Legislative Assembly. Contribution: Any money, goods, and / or services a person or business gives to help elect a candidate. Counterfoil: The numbered tab on a ballot. The Deputy Returning Ocer rips it o just before the ballot goes in the ballot box. Declaration: A formal or legal statement a person makes to say something is true or they intend to do something. If you break this promise its the same as breaking the law. Declaration is similar to arm, oath, or swear. Declaration of candidacy: The form a person lls out to say they want to be a candidate - they want a chance to be elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). They must be eligible and give a $200 deposit. The nancial agent must also sign this document. Deputy Returning Ofcer (DRO): The election ocer in charge of a polling station. A DRO makes sure voters and candidates follow the law in the polling station. They give out the ballots and count them.
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Elect: To choose a person by voting. During a territorial election we elect our Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Election: The election of members to the Nunavut Legislative Assembly. In a territorial election voters mark a secret ballot to choose a candidate to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). This Guide does not apply to other elections, like municipal elections or elections to Inuit organizations. Election expense: Any money paid or owed during an election period, as part of a candidates campaign. Includes any goods and services people contribute, and any costs of the nancial agent and campaign manager. Elections Nunavut: The oce and sta of the Chief Electoral Ocer. These people run and organize territorial elections. Election Ofcer: A person who helps to run a territorial election. Election Ocers include Returning Ocers, Assistant Returning Ocers, Deputy Returning Ocers, Poll Clerks, and Registration Clerks. Election period: A 35-day period that starts with the writ and ends with Election Day; the ocial time for the election. Election report: Shows how many votes each candidate got. The Returning Ocer (RO) lls it out after they review the Election Day statements of the poll. The RO can delay the election report for up to two weeks after Election Day, if needed. Emergency method: A way to vote by radio or satellite phone if youre in a remote place and meet three strict conditions: 1) you cant get to a polling station on Election Day; 2) you cant communicate any other way; 3) you had no other way to vote before you went to the remote place. You must contact Elections Nunavut to organize to vote this way.
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Final voters list: This list includes all the voters that were on the list when the election started, plus those who registered during the election period. It comes out after Election Day. Financial agent: The person who handles all the money for a candidates campaign. The nancial agent takes contributions, pays all the expenses, and helps the candidate make a nancial report after the election. The candidate appoints the nancial agent; they both sign the declaration of candidacy. Financial return: The ocial report of the campaigns election contributions and expenses, required under the Nunavut Elections Act. The candidate and nancial agent complete the report, sign it, and make a declaration that the information is true. General election: An election for all of the 19 constituencies. Judicial recount: A judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice counts all the ballots for a constituency again. This happens if two candidates have the same number of votes or almost the same number within 2% of each other. See the Nunavut Elections Act for other ways a recount can happen. Legislative Assembly: The people we elect to form the Government of Nunavut and make laws for Nunavut. The Legislative Assembly has 19 members. Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs): The people who get elected during a territorial election; the people who form the Government of Nunavut. Mobile poll: A way to vote if you physically cant get out to vote. The poll comes to you.
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Notice of Election: Shows the name and contact information for each candidate in a constituency, and their nancial agent and campaign manager. The Chief Electoral Ocer sends out the election notice 30 days before Election Day. Nunavut Elections Act: The laws that Nunavummiut use to organize and run a territorial election. Oath: A formal, legal promise that something is true; a promise to do something. Election ocers take an oath to be impartial in their job; elected candidates take an oath as MLAs. Oath is similar to arm, declaration, or swear. Poll Clerk: An election ocer who works at a polling station with the Deputy Returning Ocer. Poll Clerks look after the polling record. Polling record: A list of everyone who voted at a polling station, any changes to the voters list, and notes about everything that happens during voting. Polling station: The place we go to vote. Pre-election expense: A campaign expense that the candidate pays for during the pre-election period. Pre-election period: Starts the day the Commissioner publicly announces the date of the next election; ends the day the CEO issues the writ. Proxy vote: A voter gets another voter to vote for them. You apply to the Returning Ocer to get a proxy certicate. You can only vote by proxy if: 1) You are on the voters list; 2) Youre suddenly called away from your community; 3) You cant vote any other way.
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RENU: An electronic voters list for Nunavut; stands for Register for Elections in NUnavut. Returning Ofcer (RO): The election ocer in charge of a constituency. ROs appoint Assistant Returning Ocers, Deputy Returning Ocers, Poll Clerks, and Registration Clerks for each poll. ROs oversee everything about the election in their constituency. Special ballot: A way to vote by mail if youre away at school, on vacation, in hospital, at a treatment centre, or in jail. Other voters can use a special ballot if they need or want to. Voters must apply to Elections Nunavut to get a special ballot. They receive a package, follow the directions, and mail the ballot back in a special envelope. Stub: The numbered part of the ballot that stays with the book of ballots. When the DRO tears each ballot from the book, the stub stays in the book. Swear: A formal, religious promise that something is true; a promise to do something; the most serious promise you can make. If you break this promise its like breaking the law. A person gives their word and swears on the Bible that something is true. Swear is similar to arm, declaration, or oath. Vote: Voters mark a secret ballot in a territorial election. They choose the candidate in their constituency that they want to elect as their Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Voters list: The list of voters that Elections Nunavut prepares for each constituency. They send a copy to each candidate when the election period starts, and update it 20 days before Election Day.
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Writ: The ocial notice to say there is an election. The Chief Electoral Ocer (CEO) sends it to each Returning Ocer (RO). Each RO posts the writ in their oce. The return of the writ is the backside of the writ. It shows who won the election. The RO lls it out and sends it to the CEO after Election Day. If a candidate wins by acclamation the RO lls out the return of the writ right away.
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Important days
5 days before Election Day 4 days before Election Day 3 days before Election Day 1 day before Election Day
Election Day
As soon as possible after Election Day 10 days after Election Day 60 days after Election Day.
RO sends the CEO and each candidate a copy of the election report for their constituency. Deadline for candidates to remove all campaign materials. End of post-election period: Deadline for candidates and nancial agents to complete and le campaign nancial return.
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1) The Candidate
What is a candidate?
A candidate is a person whose declaration of candidacy is accepted according to the rules in the Nunavut Elections Act. A candidate is a person who wants to be a Member of the Nunavut Legislative Assembly, to represent the people in their constituency.
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You broke an election law somewhere in Canada in the last ve years, and were convicted. The election doesnt count if you get elected and youre not eligible to be a candidate. You can be a candidate in only one constituency. A candidate cant sign anything that, if you won, would: Make you resign your seat in the Legislative Assembly if someone asked you. OR like an undated resignation from the Legislative Be Assembly. OR Prevent you from acting freely in the Legislative Assembly. Check with your employer to see if they have any rules or policies you must follow about being a candidate in a territorial election. For example, you may have to take a leave of absence from your work during the election period. Many employers such as the Government of Nunavut have rules or policies about how employees participate in political activities and election campaigns.
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in jail and still in jail after Election Day. Are Did not follow a compliance agreement from the last election. A member of the Legislative Assembly may leave their seat because theyre charged with or convicted of a crime under Nunavut or Canadian laws. This person can be a candidate again only ve years after the constituency elects someone else to take their place.
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To leave their job as nancial agent, the candidate must revoke or cancel their appointment. Put in writing the reasons the nancial agent left their job, and include the date their duties ended. Make sure the former nancial agent gives everything related to their job over to the new nancial agent. This includes bank account information, tax receipts, contributions, receipts for expenses, paid and unpaid bills - everything related to campaign nances; and any other campaign information they have. Make sure the new nancial agent: Has a copy of the Guide for Financial Agents. Changes the signing authority on the campaign account. Has a copy of the form you sent to the RO, to show they now have the authority and responsibility.
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Passing out Elections Nunavut brochures about dierent ways people can vote. Choose a campaign manager who is good at these things. Be sure the person checks with their employer to see if they need to follow any rules or policies before they take on the job as your campaign manager. If you dont have a campaign manager, the nancial agent may have to take on these duties. And they may not have the time or be the best person for this work.
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3) Declaration of Candidacy
What is a declaration of candidacy?
The declaration of candidacy is the form you MUST ll out to say you want to become a candidate, and to appoint your nancial agent. You need the following information to ll out the declaration of candidacy form: The candidates full name and contact information. The nancial agents full name and contact information. Voters to sign and witness your signature and the nancial agents signature. You and the nancial agent cant witness any signature. The campaign managers name and contact information, if you have one. You become a candidate if Elections Nunavut accepts the declaration of candidacy; you are not a candidate if Elections Nunavut rejects it.
What information about the candidate do you need for the declaration of candidacy?
You need the following information about the candidate for the declaration of candidacy: Full name - no titles, degrees, or prexes. Include a nickname if you want. Home address - mailing address and street address. Phone numbers at home and at work. Fax number and email address, if you have one.
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Write your name on the declaration of candidacy the exact way you want it to be on the ballot. Write it in two dierent languages if thats how you want it on the ballot. Elections Nunavut uses exactly the name you write on your declaration of candidacy. For example, if you write your name in Inuktitut syllabics rst and English second, or English rst and Inuktitut second thats how it will be on the ballot. If you write your name in just English or just Inuktitut syllabics, thats how it will be on the ballot. The candidate signs the declaration and takes an oath. A voter witness also signs. The candidate cant witness any signature; the nancial agent cant witness the candidates signature.
What information about the nancial agent do you need for the declaration of candidacy?
You need the following information about the nancial agent for the declaration of candidacy: Full name. Home address - mailing and street address. Phone numbers at home and at work. Fax number and email address if they have one. The nancial agent signs and takes an oath to do their job. A voter witness also signs. The nancial agents job starts as soon as they sign the declaration of candidacy. If the nancial agents contact information changes, right away give the Returning Ocer the new contact information.
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What information about the campaign manager do you need for the declaration of candidacy?
You need the following information about the campaign manager for the the declaration of candidacy: Full name. Home address - mailing and street address. Phone numbers at home and at work. number and e-mail address if they have one. Fax The campaign manager signs and takes an oath to do their job. A voter witness also signs. The campaign managers job starts as soon as they sign the form. If the campaign managers contact information changes, right away give the Returning Ocer the new contact information.
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Also provide a digital photo of the candidate, if you want. Elections Nunavut produces a poster of a ballot, with each candidates picture beside their name. It hangs at the polling station to help voters know who they want to vote for. If you dont give Elections Nunavut a photo, your name appears on the poster with a blank space beside it, instead of a photo. The digital photo must meet these standards or Elections Nunavut wont use it. Show the candidates head and shoulders against a plain, light-coloured background. taken within 12 months of Election Day. Be Sent to Elections Nunavut as a 72 dpi compressed jpeg le. able to produce a printed photo 12.7 cm square at 300 Be dpi, and contain at least two million pixels. Elections Nunavut will not edit your photo. The RO or someone they appoint receive the Declaration of Candidacy, and review it. There are three possible outcomes: The RO accepts the Declaration. The RO rejects the Declaration. The RO accepts the Declaration, but gives ocial Notice that they suspect the candidate is not eligible, but only the CEO can decide.
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You led before the deadline. You paid the $200 deposit with a certied cheque or money order, or draft from the Northern Store or Co-op, payable to the Government of Nunavut. When the Returning Ocer accepts your declaration of candidacy, they give you a certicate to say you are a qualied candidate. As a candidate you receive a candidate package from Elections Nunavut. It contains: Guide for Candidates, including copies of the campaign nancial return and other forms. Guide for Financial Agents, including copies of forms. with forms to ll out on the computer if you want. CD Guide to Manage a Campaign. Guide to the Nunavut Elections Act - a summary. Nunavut Elections Act. Sections of Nunavuts Income Tax Act that relate to tax receipts. Map of your constituency. The voters list for your constituency. You sign a form to swear that you and your campaign workers will respect the voters lists and use them only for the election campaign, and not misuse it in any way. Consent forms and instructions for candidate representatives at the poll. Sign-o sheet saying you got the package.
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When candidates and nancial agents need information or help, who do they turn to?
Once you get the package, you deal only with Elections Nunavut CEO oce in Rankin Inlet for all campaign issues and questions. This includes all nancial issues and questions. See contact information at the front of this Guide. And participate in Elections Nunavut teleconference calls for nancial agents. You can expect only certain things from the Returning Ocer in your contituency, such as: Notices. Copies of the voters list for the constituency. The list of voters who voted in the early polls. The election report.
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Did not le the campaign nancial return on time, as a candidate or nancial agent in the past ve years. Did not follow a compliance agreement within the past ve years. Were an MLA convicted of an oence, and had to leave oce. on the CEOs list of people who are not eligible. Are
What happens if the RO accepts a declaration of candidacy, but gives ofcial Notice?
The RO may suspect you are not eligible to be a candidate on other grounds that only the CEO can decide. If this happens they accept the declaration, but send you an ocial Notice to say why they think youre not eligible. The Notice also goes to the CEO who must review the information and decide. If you think you are still eliglble, you must immediately tell the CEO why - in person, in writing, or by phone - and provide evidence to support your case. The CEO decides within two days of the close of candidacy and sends you a Notice about their decision. If you disagree with the CEOs decision, you can apply to the court, within seven days, to have a judge review the decision. The judge hears the case and makes a decision as soon as possible. The election continues without the person as a candidate, unless the court decides that the person is eligible and orders a new election.
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4) Money Matters
You need money to run an election campaign - to pay for things such as brochures, buttons, signs, ads on TV or radio, and travel to dierent communities in your constituency. The nancial agent manages all campaign nances. They accept all the contributions and pay all the expenses - NOT the candidate. All money related to the campaign belongs to the campaign - NOT to the candidate or the nancial agent.
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Will you have a campaign oce? Will you pay someone to run the oce? What ads do you plan to have in the newspaper, and on radio and TV? Will the campaign have a website? Who will set it up? You will probably adjust the budget many times during the campaign. You may receive more or less contributions than you expected. Campaign expenses may be more or less than you rst calculated. Regularly talk to the nancial agent and campaign manager as you plan and carry out the campaign.
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But - if a self-employed person does the kind of work for the campaign that they usually get paid for, the nancial agent must count that as a contribution of goods and services.
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The pre-election period lasts from when the Commissioner publicly announces the date of the next election to when the Chief Electoral Ocer issues the writ. The candidate must save all their receipts for pre-election expenses. The nancial agent can reimburse the candidate for any approved pre-election expense, ONLY IF the candidate gives the nancial agent acceptable receipts.
How much of their own money can a candidate use for the campaign?
A candidate can use up to $30,000 of your own money the maximum expenses allowed for a campaign. This includes preelection and election expenses. The candidate gets a tax receipt for the actual amount you contribute, up to the $2500 maximum, even if you contribute more than that.
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Money, food, drinks, gifts, prizes, or other hand-outs you oer to bribe a voter to vote a certain way, or to not vote. For example, you can oer a glass of juice but not a case of juice, and not wine or beer. The $200 deposit you made to le the declaration of candidacy.
What happens if theres money left over at the end of the campaign?
If the campaign has money left over, you have two choices: 1) Give it to a charitable organization. OR 2) Give it to the Government of Nunavut.
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If you decide to give it to a charitable organization, contact Legal Registries, Government of Nunavut. You need to make sure that the group you choose is a registered society in good standing. If you give the leftover money to a group you must ask for a receipt made out to Campaign of _______. Neither the candidate nor the nancial agent can benet in any way if you give the money to a charitable organization. The nancial return has a place to show what you decide to do with the surplus. If you give it to a charitable organization you must attach the receipt. If you decide to give it to the government you attach a cheque made out to Consolidated Revenue Fund Nunavut and send it to Elections Nunavut with the nancial return.
What happens if there isnt enough money at the end of the campaign to pay all the bills?
If you need more money at the end of the campaign to pay election expenses, your nancial agent can receive contributions up to the end of the post election period - 60 days after Election Day. Your nancial agent records these with the contributions from the election period. You can get an extra tax receipt book from the Chief Electoral Ocer if you need one. A candidate is personally responsible for unpaid bills if their campaign doesnt have enough money to pay the bills.
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Original receipts for each and every expense, including unpaid expenses. Printed statement of the campaign account, from the bank or other place that holds the account. Approvals you got from the CEO for expenses over $30,000 for travel, childcare, and expenses related to the candidates disability. tax receipts: used, unused, or voided receipts, CEO All copy of issued receipts. Account for ALL tax receipts listed on the Record of Tax Receipts that the nancial agent signed when they rst got the receipts.
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If the campaign nancial return is late and you dont have an extension: You cant sit in the Nunavut Legislative Assembly. You dont get your $200 deposit back. You and the nancial agent cant be a candidate for ve years.
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6) Election period
What are the rules about campaign materials and ads?
All your campaign materials and advertising must show the name of your nancial agent or campaign manager and some contact information, such as a phone number or email address. This must be in text no smaller than the smallest text on the campaign material. Radio and TV that operate in your community may make free airtime available. Each candidate should have equal access and the same notice for any free airtime. one can take down, cover up, damage, or change your No campaign material, unless they have your permission. You cant put campaign materials on any oce-type property the Government of Nunavut owns, rents, or leases. You cant put campaign materials on any power poles. You cant put any campaign material on the land or building at the polling station. You cant wear, use, or show any campaign material at the polling station. You cant broadcast any campaign speech or ad on Election Day or the day before Election Day. Broadcast includes radio, TV, and Internet. Election Day you must remove all campaign On information from the candidates website; you can leave information such as where voters go to vote. You must remove all your campaign material within 10 days after Election Day.
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Check with the municipal government, other community authorities, and businesses to nd out what rules they have, if any, about where you can put up campaign materials.
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The deadline to suggest changes is 20 days before Election Day. The CEO may accept or reject your suggested changes. They let you know 17 days before Election Day. Elections Nunavut updates the voters list based on approved changes. You can get an updated voters list 20 days before Election Day.
What information do candidates get about people who voted before Election Day?
Three days before Election Day the Returning Ocer sends you a list of the people in your constituency who voted at the early polls - the advance vote, mobile poll, and at the Returning Ocers oce.
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7) Election Day
On Election Day each voter should vote quickly and leave the polling station as soon as their ballot goes in the ballot box. No one should hang around. People must stay at least 10 metres away from the polling station, unless they are voting.
What are the rules for candidates and their representatives at the polling station?
Youre allowed one representative at a time at each polling station, unless youre there yourself. Either a candidate or their representative can be there, not both. When your representative rst gets to the polling station, they must give the Deputy Returning Ocer the consent form that you or your nancial agent signed. Each representative has their own form.
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You can not use phones, cameras, two-way radios, or other such things at the polling station. Inside the polling station everyone must turn o their cell phone except elections ocers. You or your representative may watch what happens and you: Must always respect and stay out of the way of voters and election ocers. May take information from the polling record during voting and pass it on. MUST go outside the polling station to receive calls or to text or phone someone to pass on information. May arrive at the polling station 15 minutes before it opens - to watch the election ocers count and initial the ballots; and inspect the ballots and other ocial papers for the poll. May question a voters identity, even if the voters name is on the voters list. The voter must show their ID and take an oath or armation. May watch the Deputy Returning Ocer count the ballots. May disagree when the Deputy Returning Ocer accepts or rejects a ballot.
What are the rules for candidates and their representatives when the DRO counts the ballots?
You or your representative can watch and keep count as the Deputy Returning Ocer counts the ballots. The DRO is the only person who handles the ballots. Remember, you must always respect and stay out of the way of the election ocers. If the candidate or their representative watches the vote count, they must stay until the DRO sends the results to Elections Nunavut. They can NOT send or receive phone calls or text messages until after the DRO sends the results.
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You or your representative may disagree when the Deputy Returning Ocer accepts or rejects a ballot. Tell the DRO why you object. They record your objection in the polling record and decide to accept or reject the ballot. You must accept their decision as nal. The Deputy Returning Ocer completes the Statement of the Poll after they count the ballots. Theyll give you or your representative a copy. The Statement tells you the number of votes for each candidate and the number of rejected ballots for that poll.
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Example 1
1000 people voted. 2% of 1000 is 20 votes. The winning candidate must have at least 20 votes more than the candidate who came second. If they dont there is a recount.
Example 2
500 people voted. 2% of 500 is 10 votes. The winning candidate must have at least 10 votes more than the candidate who came second. If they dont there is a recount.
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Type of crime
Vote improperly. Inuence voters improperly.
Example 1
You vote and you arent eligible to vote. You bribe a voter with money, liquor, food, a job, or other things.
Example 2
You vote in the wrong constituency. You threaten a voter to make them vote (or not vote) for someone. You do not identify the campaign on ads or buttons. Youre a candidate in more than one constituency. A candidate uses campaign money for personal expenses.
You use the voters list Use information for something besides improperly. the election. Youre a candidate or Tell lies or cheat. nancial agent and you arent eligible. Use money improperly. Your campaign expenses are more than $30,000.
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The Integrity Commissioner and the person both sign the compliance agreement. The Commissioner publishes a summary of each signed agreement - its a public document. When a person signs the compliance agreement, they take responsibility for their crime. They agree to do one or more of these things: money to one or more people. Pay Apologize to the public and to the people involved. Use IQ (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit / traditional Inuit knowledge) to make the wrong better. some community service. Do Agree to do or not to do some specic actions. If you dont follow the agreement, you can be charged and go to court. You can NOT be a candidate for ve years, and you might be convicted and punished. If you follow the agreement, you arent charged and you dont have a record. The Commissioner makes a public report on whether or not the person followed the agreement.
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Candidates Checklist
Before the election period begins
Check with your employer to see if they have rules or policies you need to follow to become a candidate - such as taking a leave of absence from work during the election period. Find a good nancial agent. Make sure they are eligible; make sure they check with their emloyer. Find a good campaign manager. Its a good idea to have a campaign manager, but you dont have to. Make sure they check with their employer. Keep receipts for eligible campaign expenses during the pre-election period - from when the Commissioner publicly announces the date of the election to when the CEO issues the writ. Start to plan your campaign and discuss a campaign budget with the nancial agent and campaign manager. Get copies of the Nunavut Elections Act - read and understand it. Know what you have to do to follow the laws. Ask the RO for a declaration of candidacy form, or get one from the Elections Nunavut website. www.elections.nu.ca Get your digital photo ready. Make sure it meets Elections Nunavut standards, or they wont use it.
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Make sure your campaign manager or nancial agent have their name on all campaign advertising, as the Nunavut Elections Act states. Check with the local government and other community authorities to nd out where its okay to put up signs and posters. Review the voters list when you get it from Elections Nunavut. Make sure the campaign manager and all other campaign workers respect the proper use of voters lists. They MUST use the voters lists ONLY FOR the election campaign. Write to the CEO if you want to suggest changes to the voters list. Identify yourself, say what changes you suggest, and give proof. Note the schedule for the mobile poll, once the RO tells you. Review the list of people who voted in the early polls, after you get it from the RO. Note where the polling stations are in your constituency, once the RO tells you. Note the local time for voting on Election Day. DO NOT broadcast any TV, radio, Internet, or other campaign ads or information the day before Election Day or on Election Day. Remove from any websites all information that promotes the candidate.
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Find one campaign representative to watch each polling station on Election Day. They should be there 15 minutes before the poll opens. Fill out and sign consent forms to authorize your representatives to be at each polling station on Election Day. Each representative needs their own consent form. Ask one campaign representative to stay at each polling station while the Deputy Returning Ocer counts the ballots on Election Day.
Election Day
Vote - if you didnt already vote. DO NOT broadcast any TV, radio, Internet, or other campaign ads or information on Election Day. Remove all campaign materials from the candidate / campaign website. Make sure you dont have any campaign materials at the polling station on the land, building, or on people. Ask your campaign representatives to bring you the copy of the Statement of the Poll from the DRO as soon as its ready. Review the election report as soon as you get it from the RO.
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Approvals you got from the CEO for expenses over $30,000 for travel, childcare, and expenses related to the candidates disability. All tax receipts: used, unused, or voided receipts, CEO copy of issued receipts. Account for ALL tax receipts listed on the Record of Tax Receipts that the nancial agent signed when they rst got the receipts. If you win the election, you must le the nancial return before you can sit in the Legislative Assembly. Apply to the CEO to extend the deadline for the nancial return, if needed. The CEO approves the extension ONLY IF you have a very good reason. Apply in writing, before the end of the post election period. If you do not le the nancial return on time AND you do not have an approved extension - you and the nancial agent CAN NOT be a candidate in a territorial election for ve years.
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Sample Forms
This section of the Guide has copies of the following forms that candidates and nancial agents most commonly use and / or need to know about. Declaration of Candidacy. A person who wants to be a candidate lls out this form and sends it to Elections Nunavut. The person becomes a candidate if Elections Nunavut accepts their declaration of candidacy. Use of Voters List. The candidate signs this to promise to respect the voters list, and to use them only for the election campaign. All campaign workers must do this. They promise to return or destroy all voters lists at the end of the election period. Set up a Campaign Account. The nancial agent must complete this form and send it to Elections Nunavut as soon as they set up the campaign account. Consent Form for Candidate Reps. The candidate or nancial agent sign these forms. Each candidate representative must have their own copy of the form and give it to the DRO when they rst get to the polling station. Report of Contributions from a Campaign Gathering. The nancial agent or someone they appoint lls out one of these forms for each campaign gathering. The information is important for the nancial return. How to ll out the Financial Return. Instructions for nancial agents. Financial Return Long Form. The nancial agent uses this form to record campaign contributions and expenses. The nancial agent may use an electronic (on CD) or paper
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version of the form. If they use the electronic version, they must print the form after they complete it so that the candidate and nancial agent can both make their declaration and sign the form. The candidate must send the campaign nancial return to Elections Nunavut before the end of the post-election period - 60 days after Election Day. Financial Return Short Form. The nancial agent uses this form ONLY IF the campaign had NO contributions and NO expenses. Record of Tax Receipts. The nancial agent signs this form; it lists the serial numbers of the tax receipts they get and they promise to account for them. Appoint a New Financial Agent or Campaign Manager. The candidate uses this form to tell the RO about a new nancial agent or campaign manager.
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Notice to Voters
Mobile Poll