VICTORIA – In a report submitted to the Legislative Assembly today, Chief Electoral Officer Keith Archer, Ph.D. recommends four changes to British Columbia’s Election Act.  

“Three recommendations have previously been put forward to the Legislative Assembly,” said Archer, “and we have added one new recommendation that will allow Elections BC to trial new voting technologies to meet the diverse needs of B.C.’s voters.”  

The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on Recommendations for Legislative Change – November 2011 is available on the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2011-CEO-Recommendations.pdf.  

Since 1995, Chief Electoral Officers have recommended amendments to electoral legislation under section 13(1)(d) of the Election Act.  

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) Referendum – June 13-August 26, 2011 is now available. 

The report describes the activities Elections BC undertook to administer the referendum.  It also contains:

• voting results by electoral district, and
• a statement of Elections BC’s expenses 

The report is available on the Elections BC website at: www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2011-CEO-HST-Referendum-Report.pdf.   

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca 
 

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act. 

VICTORIA – The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Vancouver-Point Grey By-election, May 11, 2011 is now available.

The report describes the activities Elections BC undertook to administer the by-election.  It also contains:

• Voting area by voting area voting results
• Summaries of financing reports by candidates, registered political parties and registered constituency associations
• Summaries of election advertising disclosure reports submitted by registered advertising sponsors, and
• Statements of Elections BC’s expenses

The report is available on the Elections BC website at: http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/rpt/2011-CEO-VNP-By-Election-Report.pdf

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Contact:
Anton Boegman
Assistant Chief Electoral Officer, Electoral Operations
Elections BC
Phone: 250-356-2713
Email: Anton.Boegman@elections.bc.ca
Website: www.elections.bc.ca

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – The 2011 BC Conservative Party leadership contestant financing report is available for public inspection at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Suite 100 – 1112 Fort Street, and on the Elections BC website. 

The deadline for filing the leadership contestant financing report with the Chief Electoral Officer was August 26, 2011. This report is required to contain the following information on leadership contestant financial activities:

• political contributions accepted
• contestant expenses incurred
• transfers of money, goods or services received and given
• fundraising function information
• other income received and expenditures made
• loans and guarantees 

One leadership contestant was required to file a financing report by August 26, 2011 and filed the required report by the deadline. 

Elections BC’s Financial Reports and Political Contributions system allows the public to search and download political contribution data and view scanned images of financial reports filed under the Election Act and Recall and Initiative Act. 

Links:
Scanned reports

• http://bit.ly/naUhmd

S-A1 political contribution data

• http://bit.ly/oTJyUj

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca 

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – The voting results of the 2011 HST Referendum were submitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly today. 

The referendum question was:

Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) and reinstating the PST (Provincial Sales Tax) in conjunction with the GST (Goods and Services Tax)?  Yes/No

 The final voting results are:

 The final voting results by electoral district are:

Beginning June 13, 2011, Elections BC mailed an HST Referendum Voting Package to each registered voter. As of the July 22, 2011 deadline to register to vote and request a voting package, there were 3,063,170 registered voters. A total of 1,653,528 ballot packages were considered during the count, representing 53.98% of the total registered voters. 38,294 ballot packages were not considered as they did not meet the requirements of the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) Referendum Regulation. 

The Acting Chief Electoral Officer extended two key dates in the HST Referendum to compensate for a disruption of Canada Post services; the deadline to request an HST Referendum Voting Package was extended to midnight, July 22, 2011 and the close of voting was extended to 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2011. 

The Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 2011 HST Referendum, June 13-August 26, 2011 is expected to be published in November 2011 and will describe the activities Elections BC undertook to administer the referendum, voting results by electoral district and a statement of Elections BC’s expenses. 

For more information, visit the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act. 

VICTORIA – The Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James will release the 2011 HST Referendum voting results after the close of counting on Friday, August 26, 2011.  

The referendum voting results will be provided to the Legislative Assembly through the Speaker, following which a news release will be distributed to media outlets throughout the province. 

Voting results will also be posted on the Elections BC website at http://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/REF-2011-001.html.

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and the conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – The Vancouver-Point Grey By-election financing reports of candidates, registered political parties, registered constituency associations and election advertising sponsors are available for public inspection at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Suite 100 – 1112 Fort Street, and on the Elections BC website.  

Financing reports must be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer within 90 days after a by-election.  The filing deadline for the by-election reports was 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 9, 2011.  The reports include expenses of each filer and information regarding contributions they received.

A financing report for the following filer was not filed by the deadline established by the Election Act.  The report may be filed by September 8, 2011 with a late filing fee of $500. 

Elections BC’s Financial Reports and Political Contributions system allows the public to search and download political contribution data and view scanned images of financial reports filed under the Election Act and Recall and Initiative Act. 

Links:

Scanned reports

• http://bit.ly/oP6202  

S-A1 political contribution data

• Candidates – http://bit.ly/o3iaHt
• Political parties – http://bit.ly/q4fow5  

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – Returned ballot packages reveal voter turnout for the 2011 HST Referendum.

 “Our preliminary analysis indicates that more than 1.6 million registered voters returned HST Referendum Ballot Packages by the deadline of 4:30 p.m., Friday, August 5, 2011,” said Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James.  

In comparison, the mail-based 2002 Treaty Negotiations Referendum saw 790,182 voting packages returned.  

Elections BC mailed an HST Referendum Voting Package to each registered voter beginning June 13, 2011. As of July 22, 2011, there were 3,063,170 registered voters.  

The Acting Chief Electoral Officer extended two key dates in the HST Referendum to compensate for a disruption in Canada Post services; the deadline to request an HST Referendum Voting Package was extended to midnight, July 22, 2011 and the close of voting deadline was extended to 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2011. James also noted “despite the extension adding approximately $500,000 to the cost of the referendum, I am pleased to report that our revised estimate as to the overall cost is $8.9 million, down from $12 million.”  

Elections BC received 87,617 telephone calls to its Contact Centre since June 13, 2011.

Referendum voting results are expected to be reported on or about August 25, 2011.

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – Voters are reminded that voting in the 2011 HST Referendum closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 5, 2011, when all completed ballot packages must be received by Elections BC, a Service BC Centre or an Elections BC Collection Centre.  

“Voters can mail their completed ballot package,” said Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James, “or they can deliver their ballot package to any one of the options available.  The yellow ballot package must be in the hands of Elections BC or a Service BC Centre by 4:30 p.m. on Friday.  Postmarks will not be accepted as proof of meeting the deadline.”  

Canada Post delivery standards can be found at: http://www.canadapost.ca/business/tools/ds/bus/bin/dsbus_ultrawide-e.shtm  

Elections BC is located at:
            Suite 100 – 1112 Fort Street, Victoria, B.C.  

Service BC Centres are located in 60 communities throughout the province.  Click here to find a centre near you.  

Elections BC Collection Centres are located at:
            Capilano Mall, Unit #81 – 935 Marine Drive, North Vancouver, B.C. 
            City Square Shopping Centre, Unit #17 – 555  W. 12 Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. 
            Lougheed Town Centre, Unit D7 – 9855 Austin Road, Burnaby, B.C. 
            Semiahmoo Shopping Centre, (next to Purdy’s) 1701  152 Street, Surrey, B.C. 
            Willowbrook Shopping Centre, Unit #436 – 19705 Fraser Highway, Langley, B.C. 

Referendum results are expected to be reported in early September. 

For more information, visit the Elections BC website at http://www.elections.bc.ca/. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act, and conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.

VICTORIA – Elections BC is adding two extra hours to its Contact Centre today to allow voters to call and request an HST Referendum Voting Package.  Voters can call 1-800-661-8683 until 10 p.m. tonight to register or update their voter record and request a voting package. 

Elections BC’s Contact Centre will also be open Friday, July 22, 2011 from 8 a.m. to the voting package request period deadline – midnight Friday, July 22, 2011. 

Phone calls to the Contact Centre take 3-5 minutes as voters register, update their voter record and request a voting package. Elections BC advises that callers stay on the line as their call will be answered by the next available operator. Calls in the queue at midnight, Friday, July 22 will have their request processed, however voting package request calls received after midnight will not be processed. 

Voters are reminded that each HST Referendum Voting Package is individually printed for each voter.  Canada Post delivery standards apply and voters can expect a three to seven day delivery depending on their location. 

Completed ballot packages must be received by Elections BC, a Service BC Centre or an Elections BC Collection Centre before 4:30 p.m on Friday, August 5, 2011. 

For more information, the Elections BC Contact Centre number is 1-800-661-8683 and will remain open until the close of voting – 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2011. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Planning Officer
Elections BC
Phone: (250) 387-1709
Email: Don.Main@elections.bc.ca 
Website: www.elections.bc.ca  

Elections BC is a non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, Recall and Initiative Act and the conduct of referenda under the Referendum Act.