Report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Following the Windsor–St. Clair By-Election
The Windsor–St. Clair by-election
On December 9, 1998, the Liberal Member of Parliament for Windsor–St. Clair, Shaughnessy Cohen, died suddenly, leaving a vacancy in the House of Commons. On March 7, 1999, the Governor in Council announced that the by-election to replace Ms. Cohen would be held on April 12, 1999.
Following this announcement, the Chief Electoral Officer issued a writ to the returning officer for Windsor–St. Clair, directing her to hold a by-election. Table 1 provides an overview of the important milestones between the issue of the writ and its return.
Table 1
Date | Election calendar day | Event |
---|---|---|
December 9, 1998 | Liberal Member of Parliment for Windsor–St. Clair, Shaughnessy Cohen, dies |
|
March 7, 1999 | Day 36 | Issue of the writ; preparations
made to open the office of the returning officer |
March 7 to 13 | Days 36 to 30 (midnight) | Advertising blackout period for political parties |
March 10 | Day 33 | Revision of list of electors begins |
March 11 | Day 32 | Proclamation published –
candidates may file nominations |
March 15 | Day 28 | Targeted revision begins |
March 17 to 19 | Days 26 to 24 | Notices of Confirmation
of Registration mailed to all registered electors |
March 22 | Day 21 (2 p.m.) | Nominations close |
April 1 | Day 11 | Revised list of electors distributed |
April 2, 3, 5 | Days 10, 9 and 7 | Advance polls |
April 6 | Day 6 (6 p.m.) | Revision and special ballot registration ends |
April 9 | Day 3 | Official list of electors distributed |
April 11 to 12 | Days 1 and 0 | Advertising blackout period for political parties |
April 12 | Day 0 | Election day |
April 13 | Day -1 | Official addition |
April 20 | Day -8 | Writ returned |
Communicating with electors
An important part of Elections Canada's task in the Windsor–St. Clair by-election, as in all electoral events, was to generate awareness – among the general public, political parties, candidates, and the media – of the by-election and of the key dates in the election period.
The principal means of communicating with the general public was the "householder", a pamphlet sent to all residences in the electoral district within days of the issue of the writ. This publication provided basic information, including the name of the returning officer and the phone number of her office, information about the National Register of Electors, and details on how to have names added to, or corrected on, the list of electors. It also gave information on deadlines for voting by special ballot and the return of special ballots, key dates for advance polls, procedures for registering and voting on election day, and the residency requirements for voting in a by-election. It also stressed the importance of keeping the notice of Confirmation of Registration until election day.
The notice, which arrived several days after the householder, provided details of where and when electors could vote, including several alternatives that Elections Canada provides for electors unable or unwilling to go to their local polling station on election day.
All material was produced in both official languages. Census data revealed no ethnocultural or Aboriginal communities whose numbers would warrant translating basic information into other languages. However, key information was made available in alternative formats, including Braille, large print, and audio-cassette.
A print advertisement was run in daily and community newspapers in the final days of the election calendar to remind electors that their polling station location was printed on their notice of Confirmation of Registration, and that they could register to vote at the poll. The advertisement was based on the approach used in the last general election.
Elections Canada also worked closely with local media to ensure that electors had the necessary information, supplying a media information kit containing the launch news release, the householder, an electoral district profile, and a calendar of key dates. In addition, the kit contained background information on a variety of topics, ranging from the electoral process and the role of Elections Canada, to the Special Voting Rules, the National Register of Electors, and election expenses and contributions guidelines for candidates and parties.
Over the course of the 36-day campaign, Elections Canada issued 10 news releases highlighting key dates, election day reminders, and clarification of what the media could and could not report on the weekend preceding election day.
A special by-election segment was also established on Elections Canada's Web site. The list of official candidates, the electoral district map, and the address and telephone number of the office of the returning officer were included in this segment, along with general information on the voting process and voting by mail-in ballot. On election night, results were posted on the Web page as they became available.
As well, Elections Canada Enquiries Unit staff members were available to answer questions and distribute information to electors.
Communicating with candidates, official agents and auditors
Seminar
Elections Canada presented a seminar on March 19, 1999, to help candidates, official agents and auditors understand and comply with the financing provisions of the Canada Elections Act. Instruction was given on how to complete the Candidate's Return Respecting Election Expenses and a demonstration of the Electronic Candidate Return was provided.
Revising the list of electors
For the third time since its establishment in 1997, the National Register of Electors was used to produce the preliminary list of electors for a by-election. The returning officer for Windsor–St. Clair reported fewer than 4 300 additions, removals and changes during the event to the information contained in the preliminary list of electors. This number represents six percent of the total 69 034 electors on the preliminary list and demonstrates that the quality of the information contained in the National Register of Electors is consistent with projections made by Elections Canada during the Register's research and feasibility phase.
Including electors who registered on election day, there were, in total, 3 628 electors who asked that their names be added to the list or that their registration be modified during the event. Of the total, 1 291 electors responded to the notice of Confirmation of Registration; 391 electors were added or corrected their records during targeted revision, 41 at advance polls and 1 905 on election day. Figure 1 shows the distribution of additions and corrections by each method of registration. In addition, a total number of 587 records were removed from the list for a total of 4 215 transactions. Table 2 shows the details of revision transactions.
Figure 1
Windsor–St. Clair by-election
Distribution of additions and corrections
made to the preliminary list of electors by
registration method
N = 3 628
Table 2
Calendar | Revision transactions | Total | Cumulative totals | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Day 33 to Day 11 |
Preliminary list | 69,034 | ||
Additions | 761 | |||
Corrections | 521 | |||
Deletions | 496 | |||
Total | 1,778 | |||
Day 10 to Day 6 |
Revised list | 69,299 | ||
Additions | 353 | 1,114 | ||
Corrections | 88 | 609 | ||
Deletions | 70 | 566 | ||
Total | 511 | 2,289 | ||
Election day | Official list | 69,582 | ||
Additions | 1,591 | 2,705 | ||
Corrections | 314 | 923 | ||
Deletions | 21 | 587 | ||
Total | 1,926 | 4,215 | ||
Final list | 71,152 |
Voting in the by-election
Voter turnout
In total, 31 827 of 71 152 eligible electors cast their ballots in the Windsor–St. Clair by-election. The majority voted on election day, April 12, 1999, at one of the 52 polling sites located throughout the electoral district. Polling stations were open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Voter turnout was 45 percent, compared to 49 percent for the Sherbrooke by-election in September 1998, and 56 percent for Windsor–St. Clair in the 1997 general election.
For those unable to vote on election day, advance polls were held on April 2, 3 and 5, 1999. Table 3 shows the details of polling site locations and accessibility.
As is always the case during elections or by-elections, residents of the electoral district unable to vote at the advance or ordinary polls, as well as residents travelling or residing outside Canada temporarily, could vote by mail-in ballot under the Special Voting Rules. Canadians abroad were notified of their opportunity to cast a ballot in the by-election by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade through its diplomatic missions and consular posts. Soldiers posted to Canadian Forces bases, whether inside or outside Canada, were informed of their right to vote by the Department of National Defence (please see Table 4).
As well, persons in institutions, including hospitals and correctional facilities, were permitted to vote in the by-election under the Special Voting Rules. Registration and voting in acute care hospitals was held on April 5 and 6. To facilitate special voting in correctional facilities, information kits were supplied to the John Howard and Elizabeth Fry societies.
Preliminary statistics on the number of ballots cast by all means are presented in Table 5.
Table 3
Polling Sites
Building type |
Number of sites |
Percentage |
---|---|---|
Church hall | 16 | 30.8% |
Community centre | 12 | 23.1% |
Educational | 11 | 21.1% |
Hostel for the elderly | 5 | 9.6% |
Recreation centre | 1 | 1.9% |
Residential | 5 | 9.6% |
Royal Canadian Legion | 2 | 3.9% |
Total | 52 | 100.0% |
Ordinary | Mobile | Advance | Total |
---|---|---|---|
199 | 3 | 9 | 211 |
Total number of polling stations |
Accessible polling stations |
Percentage |
---|---|---|
211 | 211 | 100% |
Table 4
Categories of electors asking to vote under the Special Voting Rules | Number of ballots requested |
---|---|
Group 11 | |
Members of the Canadian Forces | 133 |
Incarcerated electors | 15 |
Electors temporarily residing outside Canada | 18 |
Group 1 subtotal | 166 |
Group 22 | |
Electors temporarily outside their electoral districts | 6 |
Electors voting in their electoral districts | 468 |
Group 2 subtotal | 474 |
Total number of registrations for voting by special ballot | 640 |
1 The three lists of electors registered
under group 1 of the Special Voting Rules are separate from the list that
is revised during an event.
2 The electors registered under
group 2 of the Special Voting Rules are also entered on the revised list
of electors.
Table 5
Number of electors on final list |
Ordinary polls |
Advance polls |
Special Voting Rules |
Total votes cast |
Rejected ballots |
Total valid votes |
Voter turnout |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
71 152 | 29 677 | 1 848 | 487 | 32 012 | 185 | 31 827 | 45% |
The candidates and by-election results
The deadline for the nomination of candidates was 2:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on March 22; 5:00 p.m. was the deadline for withdrawal or for making corrections to information on candidates' nomination papers. Five candidates were nominated for the by-election, and four political parties were represented. One candidate ran with no political affiliation.
Once nominations closed, the list of official candidates was transmitted to Canadian diplomatic missions and consular posts by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, as well as to Canadian Forces bases by the Department of National Defence. The list was also posted on the Elections Canada Web site.
On election night, the returning officer's Election Results System was linked to Elections Canada's central computer; as votes were counted, they were transmitted to the Ottawa server for posting on the Web site.
Liberal candidate Rick Limoges received the most votes and was elected Member of Parliament for Windsor–St. Clair (please see Table 6).
Table 6
Candidate | Political affiliation | Valid votes obtained | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
Comartin, Joe | New Democratic Party | 13 800 | 43.4% |
Cowan, Scott | Reform Party of Canada | 1 956 | 6.2% |
Easton, Bruck | Progressive Conservative Party of Canada | 2 074 | 6.5% |
Limoges, Rick | Liberal Party of Canada | 13 891 | 43.6% |
Turmel, John C. | No affiliation | 106 | 0.3% |
Total | 31 827 | 100.0% |
Improvements to electoral administration
As a result of discussions with the Advisory Committee of Registered Political Parties, a review and pilot project were undertaken during the Windsor–St. Clair by-election to test the format of identification labels provided by Elections Canada for the use of candidates' representatives at the polls. The objective was to make identification of the representatives more visible to electors as they enter the polling station, as well as to party workers who must contact these representatives periodically during voting hours.
A larger identification card was developed, to be worn around the neck. As well as the representatives' identification cards, those worn by poll personnel were also modified. The returning officer reported that these new labels were viewed by all parties as an improvement.
It was also decided that new seating arrangements at the polls for representatives of candidates would be tested during the by-election. No tables were provided for the representatives; they were seated behind the deputy returning officer and the poll clerk. Their chairs were positioned as close as possible to the poll officials' table to ensure that they could clearly hear the electors identifying themselves as they arrived for voting.
All deputy returning officers and central poll supervisors were surveyed to assess the usefulness and appropriateness of the new identification cards and seating arrangements. The results of this survey will be discussed with the Advisory Committee of Registered Political Parties. Elections Canada will then determine whether or not these new measures should be implemented for the next general election.