Chapter 11 – Additional assistant returning Officer (04/2023)

11.1 Message to AAROs

The Canada Elections Act contains provisions concerning the appointment of additional assistant returning officers (AAROs). Under subsections 30(1) to (4) of the CEA, the Chief Electoral Officer may approve your request to appoint one or more AAROs to assist you in administering the electoral process in a designated area of the ED.

To justify the appointment of one or more AAROs during an electoral event or referendum, the following criteria must be considered:

• Geographic size of the ED
• Communication restrictions, including poor roadways or natural obstacles, such as rivers, lakes and mountains
• Significant concentration of residents on opposite sides of the ED and at a considerable distance from each other
• Residents' tendency to travel to certain population centres rather than to others
• Need to give electors easy access to services connected with revision, voting under the SVR and other special circumstances
• Facilitating and improving the voting process for electors and the electoral process in general, for political entities and the RO for that ED

You must inform the CEO of which polling divisions will be included in the area to be managed by an AARO. In this chapter, this area is called the "designated area."

11.2 AARO office layout

The AARO must open and manage an office during an event. Both you and EC must approve the terms and rental rates before you sign the rental agreement (you alone have the authorization to sign leases for AARO offices). The office must be established in a suitable public building – one that is easily reached by all electors in the designated area, provides level access and is accessible. The AARO is to discuss the location and rental of the AARO office with you.

11.2.1 Space requirements

Refer to Chapter 7 – RO office operations

As is the case for your office, the size of the AARO office will ultimately be dictated by what spaces are available in that area of your ED. The AARO office performs the same functions as your office, albeit on a smaller scale. As such, a smaller space is required, and it still needs to serve the following purposes:

• Provide services to electors
• Train office staff and poll workers
• Store and prepare election materials
• Accommodate the return of poll materials on polling night
• Serve as a workplace for your staff

As a general guideline, the AARO office should be approximately 2,500 sq. ft., if training will be conducted onsite. Consult the Office Search Guide for RO and AARO Offices (EC 10013) for more information.

11.2.2 Office equipment set-up

With your approval and on consultation with you, your AARO is responsible for outfitting the AARO office with the necessary furniture, equipment and supplies.

Pre-event equipment

Before the writ is issued, you will provide the AARO with a cellular phone and a wireless modem to be used in the AARO office.

Photocopier

If the AARO requires a photocopier, the ARRO may rent one for general use. All rental agreements must ensure 24-hour service. Whenever possible, the paper and toner (ink) should be included in the rental fees. The AARO is to discuss this matter with you and ensure that the allocated budget is respected.

Telephone lines

Elections Canada will arrange for telephone service and telephone and office equipment to be installed in the AARO office, and will be billed directly for the costs. The telephone company will install four single-line sets, toll-free service and one fax line, to be distributed as follows:

• A telephone for the AARO
• A telephone for each of the two service agents
• A telephone for the office clerk
• One toll-free line for calls from the public (assigned by Elections Canada)
• A line and toll-free service for the fax machine

Installation of telephone lines is coordinated centrally by Elections Canada. A technician will contact the AARO to set up a time for installing the lines at the issue of the writ and for decommissioning them at the end of the election period. The AARO must oversee these activities.

11.2.3 Computer systems

The new AARO business model includes the delivery, installation, testing, support and decommissioning of all computer equipment. This new model is designed to allow the AARO to focus more time on the business of elections and less on computer-related matters. The AARO office equipment will include three work stations for the office and a laptop for the training officer to use.

As soon as the AARO office address for the event is confirmed and the location is accessible, the IT technician will install the computers. To this end, the AARO must bring the modem that you will have provided before the issue of the writ.

The AARO office will be equipped with new networked computers connected to the Internet, to ECHQ, to REVISE and to other applications as required. The equipment and REVISE functionality will allow for elector information to be entered directly into REVISE in the AARO office. REVISE will be accessible throughout the election calendar.

The RO will provide the AARO with a copy of the password sheet so that he can access the various applications and/or programs.

Installation of applications at the beginning of the event

The AARO will receive an encrypted USB flash drive containing the OS Guest image, so the technician can install the applications on the computers. The technician will do the following:

1. Contact the AARO with the estimated delivery date for hardware to the AARO office.
2. Schedule network and computer set-up and installation.
3. Install and test the hardware within three calendar days of the office address confirmation.
4. Install, test and secure the Internet hardware and software (this includes any cabling or wireless set-up).
5. Obtain the AARO's sign-off that all hardware is installed and working properly and that the Internet connection is working.

Applications available

Using the networked computers, the AARO can access:

• REVISE – A Web-based application used to perform all elector revision transactions, including data entry of polling day registration and correction certificates and to administer SVR.
• Targeted Outreach Program Repository (TOPSTOPR) – A Web-based application used for the planning/pre-event and delivery/event of a variety of outreach programs.
• Webmail – Outlook Web Access is the email system used in RO and AARO offices during an event. EC's main communication line is email. The AARO must therefore check regularly for new messages throughout the day and evening, and use Outlook Web Access to send messages to EC.
• MS Word – To read or create text documents, such as letters, lists and forms
• MS Excel – To read or create calculation documents, such as spreadsheets, charts, graphs and databases
• Adobe Reader – To view PDF files; a format which EC uses for many manuals and forms.
• Field Personnel Intranet –The Field Personnel Intranet (rods.elections.ca) contains the day-to-day tools required to manage an AARO office efficiently.
• ECDocs – EC's repository of the most up-to-date versions of the operational manuals, user guides, calendars, forms and checklists in both official languages. ECDocs can be found on the Field Personnel Intranet.

Your AC is qualified to provide extra help using EC systems and applications.

Protecting information

Elector personal information must be protected. The data collected in the AARO office must be used only for the purposes set out in the Canada Elections Act.

The AARO is responsible for ensuring that personal information is kept secure at all times other than when the CEA requires that it be made available. The AARO must follow these steps to secure the office and to ensure that personal information in the office is safeguarded:

• Keep all computers and additional office IT infrastructure in a secure location
• Keep the password sheet in a secure location
• Ensure that all lists and completed forms are stored out of public view in a secure location
• Ensure that service centre documents and information are locked in a filing cabinet
• Ensure that all service centre staff keeps electors' personal information private
• Ensure that only authorized software and tools are installed on the AARO office IT infrastructure

The AARO must resolve and inform you and EC of security breaches, such as:

• Illegal downloading, installation or execution of unauthorized programs or utilities on the office network
• Missing documents containing personal information, including incomplete registration forms
• Misuse of election materials or equipment, or unauthorized copying of lists of electors
• Failure to comply with procedures regarding the security of personal information

11.2.4 Office costs

You will receive an official budget for the AARO office costs as applicable.

11.2.5 Office hours

The AARO office must be open to the public during the same hours as your office:

• Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (except on Day 9, the second day of advance polls, when the office must be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
• Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m. (except on Day 8, the third day of advance polls, when the office must be open from 9:00 a.m.to 9:00 p.m.)
• On Day 1, the day before polling day, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

11.2.6 Office staff

In accordance with your instructions, the AARO is responsible for planning work schedules, supervising employees and evaluating employees for future elections. Every two weeks, the AARO must also approve the hours worked by office staff and fax the appropriate report to you for submission to EC.

Additional support staff

If the volume of calls and the workload in the AARO office require hiring support staff, your AARO needs to let you know. If you agree with the AARO's request, you will submit a request to the ECHQ for additional funding to cover the costs of temporary staff.

11.2.7 AARO activities

Special Voting Rules

AARO offices do not have a service point supervisor (SPS). The AAROs are responsible for overseeing revision and special ballot voting services in their offices. However, the SPS from your office can train both the AARO and the service agents (SAs) on these services.

Revision and voting by special ballot

In the AARO office, two SAs work as a team to serve electors. To facilitate shift work, more than one team of agents is to be trained.

SAs will work primarily in the REVISE application. Each SA must receive a copy of the Service Agent's Manual (EC 40240). AAROs will have received a USB key with the training content in their Kit 39.

Consult the Service Point Supervisor Manual (EC 40231) for more information.

Targeted revision

Targeted revision is an outreach initiative conducted by SAs to remove barriers for electors who are at risk of not being on the list of electors at their current home address.

The AARO is to discuss targeted revision plans with you and, if possible, the SPS. Before the writ is issued, you must help the AARO identify areas for targeted revision. While the AARO will supervise staff in his office, targeted revision is mainly the SPS's responsibility. The SPS oversees the work of SAs for targeted revision and provides the addresses for door-to-door visits.

Service agents carrying out targeted revision use the Application for Revision or Registration on the List of Electors form (EC 40200). Completed elector registration and revision forms are entered into REVISE in the AARO office.

Outreach

Outreach activities respond to the unique needs and circumstances of your ED, including your designated area. Even though the CROs are working from their homes and willyou are to draw up an their action plans for outreach information distribution activities in the AARO's designated area before once the writ is issued, you should discuss any requirements for a community relations officerCRO with the AARO.

Community relations officers are hired to increase awareness of when, where and ways to register and vote among the following target groups of electors:

• Indigenous – any area within an ED that has a Métis settlement, at least one Indigenous reserve, an Inuit hamlet or a friendship centre
• Official Languages/Ethnocultural – when 5% or more of the population in one or more polling districts speak the minority official language, or when an area within an ED has a significant ethnocultural population
• Youth – when an area within an ED has a significant population of young electors (between 18 and 35 years old) or has one or more post-secondary educational institution
• Homeless – when an ED has a shelter for homeless people or a significant transient population; or when an ED has a significant number of facilities offering services to people with no fixed address
• Seniors – when an ED has one or more long-term care facilities or seniors' residences
• Accessibility – when an ED has groups or agencies representing or providing services to electors with disabilities

You shall ship outreach materials to the AARO office as soon as possible.

11.2.8 AARO staff cost estimates

As these estimates are adjusted every year, and because of possible variances between AARO offices, a budget will be provided with the numbers and types of positions.

11.3 Managing election materials for the AARO office

11.3.1 Shipping election materials to the AARO before the event

Before an event, EC will ship all the materials the AARO needs to open the office and to manage the Special Voting Rules (SVR). Refer to Chapter 8 – Managing election materials for information and instructions that may apply to the AARO.

11.3.2 Initial shipment to the AARO's residence

Before the writ is issued, AAROs will receive an initial shipment of supplies and materials at their residence so they can open their office when the election is called.

All the materials that the SPS needs to begin special ballot registration and voting, including the special ballots, will be sent to the AARO prior to the issue of the writ if possible; or at the latest, at the issue of the writ. It is very important that the SPS keeps a record of all the special ballots that have been received.

Table 8 Election materials shipped to the AARO

Lot and kit number	Description
Lot 38	Accessories and material for AARO office
K.38-A	Kit for the AARO office
Lot 39	Material for the service centre in the AARO office
K.39-A	Kit for the service centre in the AARO office

11.3.3 Storing election materials

The AARO may not rent a commercial storage unit, as they do not receive a monthly stipend for storing election materials. If storage of materials at the AARO's residence is not feasible, arrangements should be made with you.

11.3.4 Storage fee

It is estimated that each AARO will need approximately 25 cubic feet (0.70 cubic metre) of space to store the election materials before the issue of the writ.

The Federal Elections Fees Tariff allows for a monthly amount to store election materials at the AARO's residence until the issue of the writ. To be reimbursed for this amount (in March and September), the AARO must submit a special account form to you.

• Chapter 10
• Table of Contents
• Appendix A