QUÉBEC CITY, Sept. 19, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Pursuant to the Act Respecting School Elections, general elections will take place on Sunday, November 2, 2014, in 60 French language school boards and nine English language school boards in Québec. These elections are held to fill 712 commissioner's positions (617 in francophone school boards and 95 on the English side). Moreover, for the first time, the 69 school board Chairpersons will be elected at the same elections. About 5.9 million electors will be called to vote in these elections.
Here are some key dates for the election:
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Start of election period |
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September 19, 2014 |
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Nomination papers |
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September 23 to September 28 2014, at 5 p.m. |
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Potential period to request a modification of the list of electors |
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October 4 to 14, 2014 (dates to be confirmed with the returning officer) |
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Advance poll |
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October 26, 2014 |
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Polling day |
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November 2, 2014 |
The rules concerning the financing of candidates and the control of election expenses apply during the entire 45-day duration of the election period.
Opting to Vote in the English language Sector
An elector whose child receives educational services provided by a Francophone school board is registered on this school board's electoral list. Similarly he will be registered on the electoral list of an Anglophone school board if his child attends one of its schools.
An elector who has no child admitted to the educational services of a Francophone or an Anglophone school board will be registered by default on the electoral list of the Francophone school board. However, at the latest on October 14, this elector can ask to be registered on the electoral list of the school board which services the territory of the Anglophone school board where he lives. This voting option will be effected by sending a notice in writing to the returning officer.
Domiciliary Voting
Persons who are unable to move about and who are domiciled in a residential and long-term care centre or a retirement home identified in the register prepared pursuant to the Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services can now register on the list of electors, request corrections and vote in their domicile. They simply have to apply to the returning officer of the school board latest October 14, 2014.
Responsibility for School Elections
It is worth noting that the person in charge of the election is the current returning officer of the school board, who can request the assistance of the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec if he deems it necessary. The main responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer of Québec, pursuant to the Act Respecting School Elections, is to administer the part of the Act concerning the financing of candidates and the control of election expenses.
Because he would like to support school elections that represent a democratic exercise, the Chief Electoral Officer also disseminates information to electors and provides training to candidates regarding financing. Media representatives can also obtain information regarding the current school general elections by consulting the special section that the office of the Chief Electoral Officer has set up on its Website, at www.electionsquebec.qc.ca.
Electors who have questions can call the Chief Electoral Officer's Info Centre by dialling one of the following numbers.
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418-528-0422 – Québec City region |
| 1 888 ELECTION (1 888 353-2846) – outside Québec City |
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| 1 800 537-0644 (for the hearing impaired) |
SOURCE: Directeur général des élections
Sonia Fontaine, Information Officer, 418-644-3320 or 1 888 870-3320
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