Elections New Brunswick

Background

Elections N.B. is a non partisan body. The Chief Electoral Officer, appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, has the mandate to exercise general direction and supervision over the administrative conduct of elections, to enforce on the part of the election officers fairness, impartiality and compliance with the Elections Act and Municipal Elections Act and to issue to election officers such instructions as are necessary to ensure effective execution of the Elections Act.

This office is responsible for all of the planning, coordination, reporting and monitoring of provincial legislative and municipal elections and plebiscites.

Elections N.B. must be ready at all times for the call of an election or by-election. Its head office is located in Fredericton, and as soon as an election is called, a returning office is opened in each electoral district.

Elections N.B. employs 16 permanent staff members, and this number grows to about 25 during an election year.

Political Financing	Effective April 2008, Political Financing is responsible to monitor compliance with rules relating to financing of political parties and candidates. Each registered political party must file semi-annual financial returns disclosing the sources of contributions, other sources of funds and details as to how those funds were used. During a provincial election, political parties and candidates must also keep detailed records of contributions and expenditures, and file statements of election expenses with the Supervisor of Political Financing.
Finance and Human Resources	Finance and Human Resources is responsible for handling all payments to permanent and temporary election officials and vendors involved in providing services and supplies for the running of Elections NB.
Geography	Geography is responsible for the computerized design, development and production of all polling divisions designed according to provincial, municipal, rural community, local service district, school board and health authority boundaries. It warehouses thousands of maps on computer. All written descriptions are done in the geography section.
Information Technology	Information Technology is responsible to prepare and maintain all computer hardware and software used at Elections NB. This includes the imaging of hundreds of computers prior to an election, and the subsequent disposal of the machines generally to the Department of Education for use in the schools.
Operations	Operations is responsible for the preparation, conduct and reporting of all electoral events, including developing forms, procedures and guidelines. It is the main liaison with returning officers and is responsible for their training. The staff must see that materials are printed and prepared for shipping to the electoral districts. They also maintain the Registry of Political Parties and inform the parties of any changes in legislation or procedures.
Policy & Development	Policy and Development is responsible for overseeing new policies and directives, research and statistical information, and liaise with other organizations, both inside and outside government, so the goals of Elections NB may be met.
Voter Information Systems	Voter Information Systems is responsible to update the Registry of Electors to maintain accurate lists of electors’ names and addresses. The Registry of Electors is used to prepare Notice to Vote cards and the Lists of Electors used in elections.
Warehouse	Warehouse is responsible to receive, pack, and ship all materials required to run an election, from the equipment used at the Returning Offices to the materials each election official uses in their job.