The provincial general election on November 18, 1996 will see many major changes in effect for the first time.
A new Prince Edward Island Election Act and a new Prince Edward Island Election Expenses Act came into effect on May 2 of this year. Under the new Election Act, one major change that is readily noticeable is the elimination of the former 16 dual member ridings and the re-drawing of the electoral map into 27 single member ridings. Each of the new electoral districts will elect one member to the Legislative Assembly thus reducing the number of MLA's from 32 to 27.
The Chief Electoral Officer for Prince Edward Island, M. H. Wigginton said, "perhaps the most important change for electors under the new Election Act is the elimination of the proxy vote. There will be no proxy voting for the upcoming November 18 general election. To replace the proxy vote the province is moving to a mail-in ballot for persons who qualify under the rules of the Act to use a mail-in ballot."
Persons eligible to use a mail-in ballot include a member of the Canadian Forces and the spouse of such member; a student attending a recognized educational institution outside the province and the spouse of such student; a voter who by reason of illness or physical incapacity is unable to vote at a polling station; a voter temporarily residing outside the province and is unable to vote in an advance poll or on election day; or a voter who is incarcerated in a provincial correctional institution.
To qualify to vote by mail-in ballot, the elector must be 18 years of age or over on election day, be a Canadian citizen, has been in the province for at least 6 months prior to the issue of the writ of election and the ordinary residence of the voter is in the polling division on the day the election was called.
Voters wishing to use a mail-in ballot must have his or her name on the official list of electors (voters list). To meet this qualification, the voter must mail, fax or hand deliver an application for a mail-in ballot to the Chief Electoral Officer or the Returning Officer in the electoral district in which the voter is a resident by no later than 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 1996. It is the sole responsibility of the mail-in ballot voter to ensure that he or she registers and completes the mail-in ballot within the time periods specified under the Election Act. The completed ballot paper must be received by the Chief Electoral Officer or the Returning Officer in the proper electoral district no later than 6:00 p.m. Friday, November 15, 1996.
Further information concerning the changes to the Election Act and the rules and procedures for use of a mail-in ballot may be obtained by contacting Elections P.E.I., 180 Richmond Street, 2nd Floor, P. O. Box 2000, Charlottetown, P.E.I. C1A 7N8. Telephone (902) 368-5895, toll free at 1-888-234-VOTE (8683), Fax number (902) 368-6500, or on the world wide web at http://www.gov.pe.ca/election/
Contact: M H Wigginton, Chief Electoral Officer, 902-368-5895