Site MenuChief Electoral Officer of Canada
Appointment of the Chief Electoral Officer
The position of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) was created in 1920 by the Dominion Elections Act. The Chief Electoral Officer is appointed for a 10-year non-renewable term by a resolution of the House of Commons. He or she reports directly to Parliament and is thus completely independent of the government of the day and all political parties. He or she can be removed from office only for cause, by the Governor General after a joint request following a majority vote by the House of Commons and Senate.
Mandate of the Chief Electoral Officer
The Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for the administration of elections, referendums and other important aspects of our electoral system.
A number of sectors make up Elections Canada, the organization that carries out the specific roles and responsibilities under the CEO's mandate.
Biography of Stéphane Perrault
Mr. Stéphane Perrault was appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on June 8, 2018.
He was previously Acting Chief Electoral Officer at Elections Canada from December 2016 to June 2018.
In 2007, Mr. Perrault joined Elections Canada as Senior General Counsel and, in 2014, was appointed Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Regulatory Affairs. His areas of responsibility included Political Financing, Legal Services, the Electoral Integrity Office and Internal Audit, as well as Regulatory Instruments and Systems. After the realignment of the Agency's business lines in 2017, Mr. Perrault also became responsible for Public Affairs.
From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Perrault worked at the Privy Council Office in the Legislation and House Planning Secretariat, as well as in the Democratic Reform Secretariat.
After serving as a law clerk to the Honourable Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé in 1997, Mr. Perrault joined the Department of Justice as Counsel in the Human Rights Law Section.
Mr. Perrault was a member of the Quebec Bar from 1990 until his nomination and holds both a Master and Doctor of Laws. He previously lectured at the Université de Montréal and McGill University, where he was a Boulton fellow from 1995 to 1996.