2017 SCHOOL BOARD GENERAL ELECTIONS AND BY-ELECTIONS Alberta Education Lavonne Adams and Alexander Blyth May 9, 2016

Session Objectives When should a board start preparing for a general election? Overview of key legislation and important issues Important dates including bylaws/resolutions Duties of returning officer Past lessons learned/experiences Questions and answers

When Should a Board Start? Review ward structure and trustee representation now. Include public consultation on proposed changes. Set a time to pass a board resolution/bylaw. Ministerial approval is required for any changes under the School Act.

Elections Under the Education Act All boards will become school divisions. All school divisions may change its ward structure without the Minister’s approval. A copy of your amended bylaw should be submitted to the Minister of Education. Boards must develop policy and make public the process in creating new ward structures. All other requirements apply.

Proposed Changes to the Local Authorities Election Act Campaign contributions Voter identification Advanced voting Expanding institutional voting Distance from voting station to campaign Advertising only in the ward or area

Key Legislation/Important Issues Local Authorities Election Act –Qualification of candidates (Section 21) –Ineligibility (Sections 22 and 23) –Nomination day related issues (Sections 26-34) –Notice of election (Section 35) –Eligibility to vote (Section 47) –Rules of residence (Section 48) –Voting procedures (Sections 36-84) –Post vote procedures (Section ) –Election results (Sections 95-99) –Recount procedures (Sections )

Key Legislation/Important Issues School Act: –Residency (Section 44) –Organizational meeting (Section 64) –Chair (Section 65) –Oath of Office (Section 76) –Pecuniary interest and disqualification (Section 80-86)

Duties of Returning Officer Appointment –Appointed by board resolution Oath of Office/Administration of Oaths –Must take the Official Oath prior to assuming duties and can administer oaths to people required by the act Notice of Nomination Day –Advertise nomination day in accordance with the requirements of the act Nomination Day –Receive nomination papers Declaration/Notice of Election –Give notice of election in the prescribed form

Duties of Returning Officer Voting Stations –Designate location of the voting station Notice of Advance Vote –Give notice of time and place for advanced vote Vote by Special Ballot –Allow for voting by special ballot if resolution has been passed Delivery of Sealed Ballot Box –After counting the votes the returning officer shall receive the sealed ballot box Declaration of Results –Declare unofficial and official results at appropriate times Delivery of Election Material –Deliver election materials to the secretary as soon as practicable

Qualifications of Candidates/Eligibility Candidates must be: –Eligible to vote in the election; –Resident of the jurisdiction and ward for 6 months prior to nomination day; and –Not otherwise disqualified.

Qualifications of Candidates/Eligibility Candidates may not be: –The auditor of the local jurisdiction for which the election is held; or –An employee of a school district or division (including the local jurisdiction for which the election is held), or a charter school or private school, unless a leave of absence is taken.

Nomination Day 4 weeks prior to election day – September 18, 2017 Advertising of nomination day Prescribed form of nomination – Form C Deposit Receipt of nomination Reporting nominations Insufficient nominations Acclamation If a nomination is not signed by the required number of electors, a returning officer shall not accept it for filing

Eligibility to Vote In order to vote, a person must: –be at least 18 years of age; –be a Canadian citizen; and –have resided in Alberta for 6 consecutive months preceding election day, and the person’s place of residence is located in the area on election day.

Rules of Residence For voting purposes a person may only have one residence. If a person has more than one residence, that person shall designate one place of residence in accordance with the following factors in order of priority: –Address shown on driver’s license –Address to which person’s income tax information is delivered –Address to which person’s mail is addressed and delivered

Rules of Residence – Faith A person is resident of a public school district or division or resident of a separate school district. If an individual lives within the boundaries of a separate school district and is the same faith (Roman Catholic or Protestant) of the established district, that person is a resident of the separate school district.

Voting Procedure Voting stations Contents of ballot Voting hours Person objected to Initialing of ballot Advance vote Special ballot

Voter ID Section 53(3) of the Local Authorities Election Act requires a bylaw be passed 6 months prior to nomination day. Bylaws must be advertised in accordance with Section 53.1.

Voter ID Requirements for identification apply to regular and special ballots. If a person’s name does not appear on a voter’s list of electors and the local authority has not passed a bylaw providing for the number and types of identification required, voters must: –produce one piece of ID issued by a Canadian government that contains a photograph and his or her name and address; or –one piece of ID authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer under the Election Act that establishes the elector’s name and current address. –elections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/Document s/Authorized_Identification_poster.pdfelections.ab.ca/Public%20Website/files/Document s/Authorized_Identification_poster.pdf

Voter ID If a bylaw has been passed, it can specify the number and types of ID required to verify the person’s name, current address and, if applicable, age. If there is a voter list and if a bylaw has been passed, an elector on the list that produces the required identification may, in the prescribed form, vouch for an elector not on the list that does not have identification.

Post Vote Procedure Counting of votes Ballot account Securing election documents Delivery of ballot box and ballot account

Recount Procedures Recounts may be done when: –the candidate, scrutineer or official agent show grounds that the returning officer considers reasonable that may have an impact on the election result; –the returning officer considers that the number of valid ballots objected to or rejected ballots was sufficient enough to affect the result of the election; or –the returning officer feels that an administrative or technical error was made.

Recount Procedures Application for recounts must be made within 44 hours of voting stations closing. Application for judicial recounts must be made within 19 days of voting stations closing.

Election Results Declaration of election result –Unofficial results may be published as soon as the ballots from all voting stations have been counted. –Results become official the 4th day following the election at noon. NOTE: Please send the Form A in to the Business Operations and Stakeholder Support Branch as soon as the results are official.

Organizational Meeting and Chair Must be held annually. Must be held within 4 weeks of election during election years. Must elect a chair and vice chair.

Oath of Office Every trustee shall take and subscribe the official oath of office prescribed by the Oaths of Office Act before commencing trustee duties. Oaths are deposited with the secretary of the board.

Terms of Office Trustees will be elected to four-year terms.

Pecuniary Interest There are a number of situations (described in Section 80 of the School Act) where a trustee must disclose his/her interests as well as the interests of his/her spouse or adult independent partner and children. The board secretary shall provide a copy to every trustee and the officials and employees of the board that the board directs. Some circumstances related to pecuniary interest can disqualify a trustee from office. All pecuniary interest must be disclosed prior to discussion of the related manner.

Allowable Election Expenses Bylaws passed by municipalities under this section no longer also apply to school boards. A bylaw may be passed by April 14, 2017 requiring candidates to prepare and disclose public statements for campaign contributions and expenses and may prescribe how contributions not used for expenses must be used.

Lessons Learned/Past Experiences Preparation and training Cooperation with municipalities Advertising requirements Attempt to influence returning officer Other

Important Dates Provided in a separate document.

Questions and Answers Provided in a separate document.