Elections New Brunswick, Canada

Candidates


How do I become a candidate?
I want a copy of the List of Electors.
I work for the federal government, can I be a candidate?
I work for the provincial government, can I be a candidate?
What area will I represent as a candidate?
How much may I spend on campaign advertising?
Is election advertising permitted on election day?
What are the advertising restrictions on election campaigns?
Is there a Fee that needs to be paid in order to run as a candidate?
What are the rules regarding signs?
When are we able to start Campaigning/advertising for the candidates?
When is the Opening for Nomination day?
Who are the candidates in the election and how can I get in touch with them?
Can I work for the election if I am a relative of a candidate?
Is it legal for the local candidate to offer rides to the polling station?
When is the closing date for Nominations?
I have a complaint about candidate signs.
Who is, or is not, allowed to be at the polls on polling day?

Q.  How do I become a candidate?

A.  Nomination papers must be completed and returned to the office of the Municipal Returning Officer for the municipality where the person will be a candidate (not your local municipal offices) before the day fixed for the close of nominations.

In the general elections, nomination period closes at 2pm, 31 days prior to the election.

In a by-election, nomination period closes at 2pm, 24 days prior to the by-election.

Do not leave filing to the last minute, in case corrections or additions are needed in your papers, as no nomination papers can be accepted after the deadline under any circumstances.

Fill out the Nomination Paper carefully and completely. Each Nomination Paper must include:
the name, civic address, and occupation of the candidate;
the consent of the candidate, witnessed by the person who will obtain the nominators' signatures;
a completed declaration of the witness who obtains the nominators’ signatures; and
the signatures of at least ten (10) nominators, who are all qualified voters living in the municipality, and ward if applicable, of the candidate.

The witness may not be one of the nominators. Relatives of a candidate may be nominators if they are qualified voters. The returning officer will check the list of nominators on the list of electors to determine if they are qualified to vote in your area. If a nominator has moved recently, ask them to call the returning office to confirm that they are listed at their current address.

The name of a candidate will appear on the ballot as it is spelled on the Nomination Paper. No prefixes (e.g., Mr, Mrs, Dr) are used on the ballots. A nickname is permitted if it is in brackets and is printed on the Nomination Paper as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot.

Once it has been checked for completeness, the Municipal Returning Officer will sign or initial the nomination paper of a candidate to indicate that the nomination is accepted.



Q.  I want a copy of the List of Electors.

A.  Only election officials or candidates are allowed to see the list. If you will be a candidate in the election, you must first file your nomination papers and have them accepted by your Returning Officer.

Then you may request access to the List of Electors for your area. You will only have access to the portion of the local government, rural district, school subdistrict, or health subregion where you are running as a candidate.

The lists may only be used for election purposes during the election, and must be destroyed afterwards.

You will be required to sign an “Declaration Regarding Candidate’s Use of the Lists of Electors” before you will be provided the information. The lists may not be emailed to anyone, and must be picked up physically from the Returning Office.



Q.  I work for the federal government, can I be a candidate?

A.  There is no restriction under the Elections Act or Municipal Elections Act merely because you work for the federal government. However you may have restrictions imposed by your employer.

In most federal public service organizations, an employee may seek nomination as, or be, a candidate in an election before or during the election period, only if the employee has requested and obtained permission from the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) to do so. The PSC may grant permission, with or without conditions, if it is satisfied that seeking nomination as, or being, a candidate will not impair or be perceived as impairing your ability to perform your duties in a politically impartial manner.

For more information, please contact the designated representative for political activities in your organization. A list of the designated representatives for organizations subject to these rules and other information on Political Activities are available at www.psc-cfp.gc.ca under the "Political Activity" section. You can also contact the PSC at 1-866-707-7152, or "[email protected]".



Q.  I work for the provincial government, can I be a candidate?

A.  There is no general restriction on New Brunswick public service employees running for municipal offices. However, it may be considered inappropriate or create a significant conflict of interest for some positions. If you work in the public sector and are interested in running for local office, consult senior management in your department or agency before filing nomination papers.



Q.  What area will I represent as a candidate?

A.  Detailed information is available from your Returning Officer.

As well, you can retrieve lists of the areas for each contest using our website.



Q.  How much may I spend on campaign advertising?

A.  There are no restrictions on how much money candidates for municipal elections may spend on campaigning, and no requirements for filing any statements of donations received or money spent.



Q.  Is election advertising permitted on election day?
What are the advertising restrictions on election campaigns?


A.  Restricted Advertising Period: After midnight of the Saturday night before the election until after the polls are closed on polling day, no election speeches, entertainment, or advertising may be:

broadcast by any radio or television station (in or outside Canada);
published in any newspaper, magazine or similar print media; or
transmitted by any means to any telephones, telecopiers, computers, or other communication devices.

Polling Day: In addition, on election day no advertising or campaigning of any kind may be done on or from any motor vehicle and there may be no advertising or campaign material of any kind, on any property within thirty metres (100 feet) of any premises in which a polling station is located. Candidates – but not their agents, representatives or family members -- are allowed to be in any poll at any time on any polling day (ordinary or advance), as long as they do not engage in any kind of campaigning or interfere with voters or the polling process.

Advance Poll Days: There may be no advertising or campaign material on any property within thirty metres (100 feet) of the premises in which an advance poll is being held. In addition, any advertising or campaigning using loudspeakers from a motor vehicle must not be able to be heard within thirty metres of the building where an advance poll is being held.

Printed Advertising: All election signs, posters, handbills or other printed materials must include the name and address of the printer and publisher on the face of the document.



Q.  Is there a Fee that needs to be paid in order to run as a candidate?

A.  No, there is no longer a fee to run as candidate in the Municipal Elections. This was removed in 2004.



Q.  What are the rules regarding signs?

A.  There may be no advertising or campaign material on any property within thirty metres (100 feet) of the premises in which an advance or ordinary poll is being held.

Placement of Election Signs: The Department of Transportation controls where or if signs may be placed on highway rights-of-way. Under the Highway Advertisements Regulation-Highway Act, election signs are not permitted on Level I and Level II access controlled highways (four-lane or two-lane). However, they are permitted within the highway right-of-way of other highways. In the interest of safety, any signs that are attached to a DOT sign, guard rail or bridge, installed within the median, or installed such that they reduce sight lines or visibility, will be removed immediately.

Municipalities may also have sign by-laws that control where or when election signs may be placed.

Printed Advertising: All election signs, posters, handbills or other printed materials must include the name and address of the printer and publisher on the face of the document.



Q.  When are we able to start Campaigning/advertising for the candidates?

A.  You are able to start Campaigning/advertising at any time.



Q.  When is the Opening for Nomination day?

A.  Nominations may be accepted by the Returning Office after the official Notice of Elections is published.



Q.  Who are the candidates in the election and how can I get in touch with them?

A.  A list of the candidates is available on the Elections NB website at www.electionsnb.ca.

Alternately, you can call your Returning Office for a list of the candidates in your region.

The Returning Office has contact information for the candidates.



Q.  Can I work for the election if I am a relative of a candidate?

A.  No person who is a family associate (spouse, parent, child, or brother or sister) of any candidate or candidate’s spouse may be appointed, act or continue to act as an election officer in any municipality in which that candidate may be elected.

You may however, be able to work in a different part of the region.



Q.  Is it legal for the local candidate to offer rides to the polling station?

A.  Yes, but they cannot have any campaign signs on vehicles used for this, due to restrictions on advertising at the polls.



Q.  When is the closing date for Nominations?

A.  In the general elections, nomination period closes at 2pm, 31 days prior to the election.

In a by-election, nomination period closes at 2pm, 24 days prior to the by-election.



Q.  I have a complaint about candidate signs.

A.  Contact your Returning Office. They have contact information for the local candidates.



Q.  Who is, or is not, allowed to be at the polls on polling day?

A.  Various election workers appointed by the Returning Officer. At polling centres there will be:

Constables to direct voters;
Voters List or Poll Revision Officers to look up voters’ names, and to add new voters to the List of Electors;
Ballot Issuing Officers who explain and issue ballots to the electors;
Tabulation Machine Officers who operate the tabulation machines, and ensure the ballots are properly inserted into the ballot box;
Poll Supervisors who manage the polling station.

The Returning Officer or Election Clerk will visit most polling centres at least once or twice during the day, to make sure things are going as planned. Other persons authorized in writing by the Municipal Electoral Officer may also be present.

Scrutineers, who are appointed by candidates to observe the voting and counting; Each candidate can appoint only one scrutineer per polling station to be at the polls at any time.

Candidates can be at any poll at any time, as long as they do not interfere with voters or the voting process. This means they cannot do any campaigning at the polls (they may introduce themselves to voters or workers).

Voters, of course, are allowed at the polls, but must leave as soon as they have voted.

Media representatives may be present for the sole purpose of photographing or recording the casting of the ballot of a mayoralty candidate, or if only a plebiscite is being decided, the photographing or recording the polling station.

Campaign workers other than candidates and scrutineers are NOT allowed in the polls, unless they are voting as a voter.