Elections BC (EBC) is seeking an experienced leader for a new management role.  This is a unique opportunity to be involved in establishing and maintaining EBC’s position as a recognized leader and innovator in electoral administration.

Elections BC is the non-partisan office of the Legislature responsible for the administration of the Election Act, the Recall and Initiative Act, the conduct of the referenda under the Referendum Act and the Constitutional Amendment Approval Act.  Elections BC administers the most comprehensive range of electoral legislation in Canada, with the Recall and Initiative Act being unique in the Commonwealth.  Core work includes electoral event planning, administration and logistics, public education and communication, policy and procedure development, event resource management and training, financial administration, information and data collection and maintenance.

The Corporate Planning and Event Management program area is responsible for the effective and efficient planning and administration of provincial electoral events, including general elections, by-elections, referenda, recall and initiative petitions and initiative votes.  This includes ensuring Elections BC is in a constant state of readiness for on-demand events, as well as leading the planning, preparation and administration of scheduled events.  Program staff manage Elections BC’s District Electoral Officers, coordinate event support activities across other program areas and lead post-event reporting, evaluation and assessment. 

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer (Electoral Operations), the Manager, Electoral Operations is an expert on electoral operations, accountable for maintaining an appropriate state of operational readiness for, and successfully delivering the operational elements of all electoral events.  In doing this, the Manager ensures the effective preparation, training, liaison, and support to District Electoral Officers and Deputy District Electoral Officers in the field.  The Manager plays an important role in EBC’s strategic planning, policy direction, and procedural development, as they relate to the administration and improvement of the voting model. 

In the lead-up to and during the next scheduled provincial general election in May 2013, the Manager, Electoral Operations will apply their expert planning and event delivery skills, as well as their collaborative and supportive team leadership skills, to ensure effective management of field staff and seamless execution of electoral event deliverables.

How to apply
For complete details on this opportunity, please download and review the job description  and applicant questionnaire.

To apply for this opportunity:

Submit a cover letter and resume detailing your experience relevant to the job duties and how you meet the qualifications, and a completed applicant questionnaire.   Applications received without this applicant questionnaire will not be considered.  Please indicate on your cover letter and/or email subject line, the position title and competition number (EBC 2012:02).  Applications can be submitted by mail or email.

Closing date: Midnight, May 17, 2012 
Email is preferred to: electionsbc@elections.bc.ca    

For more information about this position please contact Lorena Gent at Lorena.Gent@elections.bc.ca.  

Please note that due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to confirm receipt of your application.

Elections BC employs a large variety of staff under a range of legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures.  This includes temporary and permanent staff in Elections BC head offices, District and Deputy District Electoral Officers who are field managers around the province, their office staff, and election and voter registration officials required for electoral events. 

Reporting to the Communications Manager, the Outreach Coordinator will support Elections BC in the preparation and maintenance of electoral events by researching, planning, and coordinating electoral event awareness activities, and providing support to all electoral district staff in conducting local outreach activities during the event period. 

The ideal applicant for this unique temporary opportunity will possess post-secondary education in a related field, and have demonstrated experience conducting research.  Experience in developing and coordinating communications or outreach programs, as well as delivering projects and events is required.  Utilizing strong oral and written fluency, the successful incumbent must be able to effectively communicate to a diverse audience with tact and diplomacy. They must also have excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills and be adaptable and flexible to successfully work in an environment of tight deadlines with fluctuating workloads. 

To apply for this opportunity:

Submit a cover letter and resume detailing your experience relevant to the job duties and how you meet the qualifications, and a completed task assignment.  Applications received without this task assignment will not be considered.  Please indicate on your cover letter and/or email subject line, the position title and competition number (EBC 2012:12).  Applications can be submitted by mail or email.

Closing date: Midnight, May 16, 2012

Email is preferred to:  electionsbc@elections.bc.ca
Website:  www.elections.bc.ca
For more information about this position please contact Lorena Gent at Lorena.Gent@elections.bc.ca    

Please note that due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to confirm receipt of your application. 

At Elections BC—a non-partisan Office of the Legislature—our team works together to ensure that we’re prepared to deliver electoral events like elections, by-elections, referenda, and recall and initiative petitions smoothly, efficiently and fairly.  As Communications Coordinator, you will assist Elections BC in preparing to deliver events by working collaboratively and liaising with staff through the application of specialized communications knowledge, project management skills, and advanced writing/editing skills to ensure our organizational objectives are accurately communicated.  

An integral part of the Communications program team, you will leverage not only your ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships, but also your second-to-none attention to detail and analytical skills.  The Communications Coordinator is responsible for the writing and preparation of a variety of media materials with the opportunity to provide guidance and advice to senior staff regarding the content and presentation of printed materials.  Fostering an integrated and diplomatic approach will be key; the workload is often assigned by teams from different program areas as they pull together to meet tight deadlines.

In order for your application to be considered, a cover letter must be submitted with your resume.

For a detailed posting and job description, and to apply on this exciting opportunity visit: http://www.employment.gov.bc.ca/home.

Closing date: Midnight, May 23, 2012

For more information about this position please contact Lorena Gent at Lorena.Gent@elections.bc.ca

*Please note – a temporary opportunity for the position of Outreach Coordinator is also open for applications.  The posting and job description can be found on the Employment page of the Elections BC website: http://www.elections.bc.ca/jobs  

VICTORIA – Preliminary voting results for the Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam by-elections will be reported following the close of general voting as election officials at 35 voting locations complete the initial count process under sections 115-125 of the Election Act.

As they become available, the preliminary results will be posted at:

• Chilliwack-Hope – http://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/resultCHH.html
• Port Moody-Coquitlam – http://electionsbcenr.blob.core.windows.net/electionsbcenr/resultPOM.html.

Preliminary voting results will include:

• number of votes cast for each candidate
• number of ballot boxes reported
• total number of ballot boxes, and
• percentage of popular vote

General voting locations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 19, 2012.

Final voting results will be available on the Elections BC website (www.elections.bc.ca) after absentee ballots are counted and final count is concluded.  Final count is scheduled to begin on April 30, 2012. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Manager
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 – Advance voting locations for the Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam by-elections will be open Wednesday, April 11 through Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 The Chilliwack-Hope advance voting locations are:

• Agassiz Agricultural Assn Hall, 6800 Pioneer Ave, Kent, B.C.
• Canyon Lanes Bowling Alley, 47585 Trans-Canada Hwy, Boston Bar, B.C.
• Royal Canadian Legion 228, 344 Fort St, Hope, B.C.
• Twin Rinks Arena, 5745 Tyson Rd, Chilliwack, B.C.

 The Port Moody-Coquitlam advance voting locations are:

• Coquitlam College, 516 Brookmere Ave, Coquitlam, B.C.
• Port Moody Recreational Complex, 300 Ioco Rd, Port Moody, B.C.

Voters may also vote at the district electoral office until 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2012.  The district electoral offices are located at:

• 21-5725 Vedder Rd, Chilliwack, B.C.
• 2322 St. Johns St, Port Moody, B.C.

Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays

Voters who are unable to attend advance or general voting may also request a Vote by Mail package from the district electoral office or through the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca.

Voters may register or update their voter information when they go to vote.  All voters must prove their identity and current residential address before voting or registering when voting.   The types of identification that can be used are detailed on the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/voting/#ID.

General Voting Day for the by-elections is Thursday, April 19, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Locations for general voting are posted on the Elections BC website, contained in a by-election pamphlet delivered to all Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam households, and on yellow Where to Vote cards mailed to each registered voter in the electoral district. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Manager
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 2011 annual financial reports for registered political parties and registered constituency associations are available for public inspection at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Suite 100 – 1112 Fort St, Victoria and on the Elections BC website. 

The deadline for filing the annual financial reports for the 2011 fiscal year with the Chief Electoral Officer was April 2, 2012. These reports are required to contain the following information on the 2011 financial activities of each registered political party and constituency association:

• political contributions accepted
• assets, liabilities, surplus or deficit as of December 31, 2011
• total dollar amount of income tax receipts issued
• transfers of money, goods or services received and given
• fundraising function information
• other income received and expenditures made
• loans and guarantees 

A total of 163 reports were required to be filed by the April 2, 2012 deadline. All entities filed the required reports by the deadline, except:

• Advocational International Democratic Party of British Columbia 

This organization may file their report by June 29, 2012, if it is accompanied by a $100 late filing fee and, if required, an auditor’s report. 

Due to extenuating circumstances, extensions to the filing deadline were granted to the following entities:

• Surrey-Tynehead Constituency Association BC NDP to April 16, 2012
• Green Party Political Association of British Columbia to April 23, 2012 

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 (political party and constituency association)

• http://bit.ly/HU9Pa8

S-A1 political party political contribution data

• http://bit.ly/HeJFPN

S-A1-A political party political contribution data

• http://bit.ly/Hm6NLj 

S-A1 constituency association political contribution data

• http://bit.ly/HPYy8u 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Manager
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 – Nominations of candidates for the Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam by-elections closed at 1 p.m. today.  

There are four candidates nominated in the Chilliwack-Hope electoral district as follows:

DAHLBY, Lewis Clarke
Libertarian 

MARTIN, John
BC Conservative Party 

O’MAHONY, Gwen
BC NDP 

THRONESS, Laurie
BC Liberal Party 

There are three candidates nominated in the Port Moody-Coquitlam electoral district as follows:

CLARKE, Christine N.
BC Conservative Party 

MARSDEN, Dennis
BC Liberal Party

TRASOLINI, Joe
BC NDP           

“B.C. voters have tremendous access to voting opportunities that reflects the diverse needs of today’s voter from student to senior,” said Keith Archer, Chief Electoral Officer.  “If voters aren’t sure of where to vote I encourage them to contact us.” 

B.C. voters have more ways to vote than anywhere else in Canada.  During the by-elections, voters may vote:

• At their assigned voting place on General Voting Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• At advance voting locations in their electoral district from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• At any other general or advance voting place under absentee rules, or
• If they can’t make it to a voting place, they may vote at the district electoral office or Vote by Mail until General Voting Day. 

For more information and a complete list of advance and General Voting Day voting locations, visit the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca. 

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Contact:
Don Main
Communications Manager
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 – By-elections will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2012 to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam electoral districts. The seats became vacant when Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Iain Black resigned on Monday, October 3, 2011 and Chilliwack-Hope MLA Barry Penner resigned on January 9, 2012. 

“British Columbia offers voters an accessible and flexible voting process, ensuring that all citizens who are eligible to vote are able to do so,” said Keith Archer, Chief Electoral Officer. “Elections BC is committed to administering the voting process in British Columbia with the needs of voters in mind.”

Residents of the two electoral districts will be eligible to vote if they are 18 years of age or older on Thursday, April 19, 2012, (General Voting Day), they are a Canadian citizen and they have lived in B.C. for the past six months.

B.C. voters have more ways to vote than anywhere else in Canada. During the by-elections, voters may vote: 

• At their assigned voting place on General Voting Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• At advance voting locations in their electoral district from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• At any other general or advance voting place under absentee rules, or
• If they can’t make it to a voting place, they may vote at the district electoral office or Vote by Mail during the 28 days from when the election is called until General Voting Day.

“B.C. voters have tremendous access to voting opportunities that reflects the diverse needs of today’s voter from senior to student,” said Archer. “If voters aren’t sure of where to vote I encourage them to contact us.” 

Voter registration for the by-elections closes on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at midnight. Visit Elections BC’s secure Online Voter Registration system at www.elections.bc.ca/ovr  to register to vote or to update your voter registration information, or call Elections BC toll-free at 1-800-661-8683.

Voters may also register or update their voter information when they go to vote. Voters must prove their identity and place of residence before voting or registering when voting. The types of identification that can be used are detailed on the Elections BC website at www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/voting/#ID.

Information including dates, times and locations of advance and general voting will be posted on the Elections BC website, published in local newspapers, contained in a by-election pamphlet delivered to all Chilliwack-Hope and Port Moody-Coquitlam households, and on yellow Where to Vote cards mailed to registered voters in the electoral districts. 

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Attachments:
Fast facts – By-election
Photo: Keith Archer, Ph.D., Chief Electoral Officer – print | web 

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.

Fast Facts – By-election

• Elections BC administers by-elections under the Election Act, R.S.B.C. 1996.
• Under the Constitution Act, a by-election must be called within six months of a seat becoming vacant in the Legislative Assembly, unless the seat is vacant due to the recall of the MLA, in which case a by-election must be called within 90 days.
• The Chief Electoral Officer received the warrants for the by-elections on October 6, 2011(Port Moody-Coquitlam) and January 30, 2012 (Chilliwack-Hope).
• 192 by-elections have been administered in B.C.; seven under the current Act.
• The first by-election occurred on June 22, 1872 in the Cariboo electoral district following the, resignation of MLA Cornelius Booth; three previous by-elections were called in Esquimalt, New Westminster and Cariboo, but no votes were held as the seats were filled by acclamation.
• A by-election involves a single electoral district, although concurrent by-elections may be held, such as:
  • the March 15, 1989 Nanaimo and Vancouver-Point Grey by-elections,
  • the February 17, 1994 Matsqui and Vancouver-Quilchena by-elections, and
  • the October 29, 2008 Vancouver-Burrard and Vancouver-Fairview by-elections.
• There were 32,709 registered voters in the Chilliwack-Hope electoral district as of May 12, 2009 and 33,487 registered voters in the Port Moody-Coquitlam electoral district.
• Voter turnout in the 2009 General Election was 51.85% of registered voters in Chilliwack-Hope and 57.44% of registered voters in Port Moody-Coquitlam.
• The last by-election to be held in B.C. was the May 11, 2011 Vancouver-Point Grey by-election.
  • Voter turnout for the 2011 by-election was 38.94%. 

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.