The Local Authorities Elections Act lists major election offences in municipal elections.  As a candidate it is your responsibility to become familiar with lawful and unlawful election activities.

A person is guilty of a major election offence

If they:

• Attempt to bribe a voter;
• Impersonate another person in order to vote;
• Vote twice or try to vote twice;
• Knowingly act or attempt to act as a proxy voter for more than three voters;
• Agree to be a proxy voter, knowing they are not eligible to vote;
• Campaign or post campaign posters in a voting station;
• Intentionally supply ballots to any person without due authority;
• Intentionally put into the ballot box any paper other than a ballot that they are authorized to put in;
• Intentionally remove ballots from the voting station, except where authorized by the Local Authorities Elections Act;
• Intentionally destroy, take, open or interfere with a ballot, packet of ballots, ballot box or any election materials, except where authorized by the Local Authorities Elections Act;
• Attempt to interfere with a voter who is trying to mark his or her ballot, or cause the ballot to be marked so as to defeat the intention of the voter, whether or not that person is an Election Officer;
• Attempt to stop a voter from voting;
• Make a voter vote for a certain candidate by the use of force, threats, violence or intimidation; and
• Assist a person in any way to commit a major election offence.

Charges under the Local Authorities Elections Act may occur in the same manner as any other offence, beginning with the laying of a complaint with the RCMP, including swearing an “Information Concerning an Offence”. 

The RCMP will start an investigation and may lay charges. If the RCMP lays charges, a court date is set, evidence is heard and a decision made.  A Territorial Court Judge may hear these matters.  If you are uncertain what to do, contact the Chief Municipal Electoral Officer; see introduction section for contact information.

These offences are punishable on summary conviction by a fine not more than $5,000, and in default, a jail term of not more than one year.   Anyone convicted of a major election offence is not eligible to be a candidate for the next three years.

If a member of a local authority is guilty of a major election offence

If a Judge finds a member of a local authority to be guilty of committing a major election offence or other offence under the Local Authorities Elections Act, the person will no longer be allowed to hold office as a member of the local authority.

It is not a major election offence

for a person to:

• Pay for or offer to pay for the actual personal expenses of a candidate or a candidate's expenses for professional services rendered;
• Pay for printing and advertising costs;
• Provide volunteers to transport voters to voting stations at no cost; and
• Display campaign signs on vehicles transporting voters.

An election officer is guilty of a major election offence

if they:

• Leak information as to how any voter cast their ballot;
• Force a voter to show his or her ballot; and
• Neglect, fail or refuse to do any of their duties as outlined in the Local Authorities Elections Act.

Limitation Period

Any person wishing to begin proceedings against anyone for major election offences must do so within two years after Election Day.  To start these proceedings, an individual swears an “Information Concerning an Offence” before the RCMP.