Changes to the Municipal Elections Act & 2018 Municipal & School Board Elections

Timeline & Key Dates Relative to the 2018 General Elections May 1, 2017 – by-law for ranked ballots Dec 31, 2017 – Clerk’s procedures, voting & alternate voting, accessibility Ballot Questions – March 1, 2018 Use of Corporate Resources Policy – May 1, 2018

Timeline & Key Dates Relative to the 2018 General Elections Opening of Nominations – May 1, 2018 Close of Nominations – July 27, 2018

Endorsement of nominations for council Effective April 1, 2018 Endorsement of nominations for council (1.1) The nomination of a person for an office on a council must be endorsed by at least 25 persons, and they may endorse more than one nomination.

Nominations 1.2) Persons endorsing a nomination must be eligible to vote in an election for an office within the municipality, if a regular election was held on the day that the person endorses the nomination.

General Changes Accessibility plan and reporting Election advertising Third Party registration Financial statement filing and reporting Recount policy (option) Clerk; changes in authority – setting advance voting days, locations and times, previously by by-law now up to Clerk, discretion on ranked ballots, removing deceased persons from the Voter’s List, use of electronic filing of finances (with conditions, limits) Accessibility – plan to be published by Dec 31, 2017 Adverts – greater definition, requirements for ads, authority to remove

General Changes Nominations Residency rule for Ward and At-Large candidates/councillors no longer enforced Provisions for establishing eletronic filing of financial statement, various language clarifications of fundraising, expenses etc Option to adopt a recount policy, by by-law, which must be passed by May 1, 2016. essentially setting for our community what constitutes a ‘close vote’ ; a hard count or a % of votes cast for example. Does not eliminate requests for a recount that falls outside the policy; 30 day response. Various other changes: campaigning in multi-res buildings, no photographs of ballots, Creating a new offence for any offer, promise or agreement intended to convince an individual to register, withdraw, or avoid becoming a candidate;

Campaign Finance Changes Greater clarity regarding in-kind contributions, simplified forms Significant changes on who can contribute, addition of 3rd party participants No cash contributions in excess of $25

Campaign Contributions Who can contribute - An individual who is normally resident in Ontario - $1,200 maximum the candidate and his or her spouse…to a limit of $25,000 or $7,500/$5,000 + 20 cents/voter, whichever is less

Campaign Finance Changes Who can no longer contribute? Corporations Trade Unions

Campaign Finance Changes 3rd Party Advertisements An individual, corporation or trade union may register to be a registered third party advertiser Proposed spending limits - $5,000 + 5 cents/voter ~ $9,300

Advertising Must contain name of candidate/3rd party with contact info Publishers cannot publish without, and must maintain records for 4 years

tbayvotes.ca Poll voting with tabulators (paper) Internet & Telephone voting (woohoo) Advance voting – October 9th* Election Day October 22nd

So, you want to be a candidate!? Role of Council Information session in April Orientation for Council elect “Local council members can make a difference. That's why so many good people run, and why we need to encourage people of character and ability to seek municipal office across Canada”