Elections Ontario's 2013-14 Annual Report highlights seven by-elections and campaign finances

TORONTO, May 13, 2015 /CNW/ - The Chief Electoral Officer, Greg Essensa, tabled Elections Ontario's 2013-14 Annual Report titled Ready Now, Ready Next, this morning. The report contains detailed information on the seven by-elections that took place in the 2013-14 year and how they helped prepare Elections Ontario for the 2014 general election. 

"Using the five summer by-elections of 2013 and the two winter by-elections in 2014 as pilot opportunities, we tested a new approach to managing issues and challenges in real time during an election. We also piloted a new method for registering voters" says Essensa. "These exercises taught us a great deal about what works well and how we can refine our processes for more effective election administration."

Detailed financial information for the 2013-14 year for parties, candidates and constituency associations is included in the report.  Elections Ontario issues its annual reports approximately one year after the ending of the fiscal year so that we are able to include the financial filings from political entities and our audited financial statements.

Legislative changes still needed!

The report includes seven recommendations for legislative change that the Chief Electoral Officer has been making for several years.

"The purpose of these recommendations is to improve the acts so that we can provide Ontarians with more modern, streamlined and effective electoral administration that responds to their evolving needs – and that takes into consideration the unique needs of Ontario communities, " says Greg Essensa. "I look forward to working collaboratively with legislators to bring each issue forward for a formal consideration."

The seven recommendations include:

• Establishing a single address authority for Ontario
• Changing the voting day to a time when schools are not in session (weekend or school holiday)
• Investigating options, though an independent body, to strengthen third party advertising rules in Ontario
• Providing a regular scheduled process for reviewing electoral district boundaries
• Streamlining and clarifying the Election Act and the Election Finances Act
• Centralizing campaign administration by allowing political parties to have access to all products and services provided to candidates
• Improving compliance with the Election Finances Act by rationalizing financial reporting requirements for parties, candidates and constituency associations, allow parties the authority to deregister a constituency association they no longer endorse, allow the Chief Electoral Officer the power to levy administrative penalties.

Read more in our Ready Now, Ready Next 2013-14 Annual Report

The full report can be found here: http://bit.ly/1EwB8k9

Elections Ontario is the non-partisan agency responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections and referenda.

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SOURCE Elections Ontario

Elections Ontario Media Relations: 416.212.6186, 1.866.252.2152