Elections chief proposes rule changes to discourage ‘longest ballot’ protests

Canada’s chief electoral officer, Stéphane Perrault, is proposing changes to nomination rules in order to address the issue of the “longest ballot” protests that have caused delays in counting votes during recent byelections. Perrault addressed the House procedures committee last week, highlighting the fact that many candidates in these byelections had their nomination papers signed by the same electors.

According to Perrault, this pattern indicates that voters are not necessarily supporting a specific candidate but rather the idea of having as many candidates as possible on the ballot. To address this issue, Perrault is in favor of lowering the threshold for the number of signatures required for a candidate to run, from 100 to 75. However, he also suggested that penalties should be imposed on individuals who sign multiple nomination papers or encourage others to do so in an attempt to flood the ballot with candidates. The specifics of these penalties were not disclosed.

The recent byelections saw an unusually high number of candidates – 91 in LaSalle-Émard-Verdun and 84 in Toronto-St. Paul’s. The majority of these candidates were associated with the Longest Ballot Committee, an electoral reform advocacy group. The group advocates for a citizens’ assembly to oversee electoral reform, criticizing political parties for not adequately representing the electorate.

The extensive ballots used in these byelections led to slow vote counts and delayed final results, with some announcements made well past midnight. Perrault also noted that the lengthy ballots presented challenges for voters with disabilities.

Under Perrault’s proposed changes, candidates would not be disqualified if someone signed multiple nomination papers. The goal is to deter individuals from artificially inflating the number of candidates on the ballot. Perrault emphasized that the verification process should occur after the election, rather than during the nomination phase.

While Perrault’s proposals aim to address the issue of lengthy ballots and ensure fair nomination processes, the Longest Ballot Committee expressed disappointment with the measures. The group stated that they would continue their campaign regardless of the new amendments, emphasizing their commitment to collecting signatures from a diverse pool of supporters.

Overall, the proposed changes to nomination rules seek to streamline the electoral process, prevent manipulation of the ballot, and ensure fair representation for all candidates. By addressing the challenges posed by the “longest ballot” protests, Canada’s electoral system can become more efficient and inclusive for voters and candidates alike.