Election Tariff of Fees and Expenses
made under subsection 355(1) of the
Elections Act
S.N.S. 2011, c. 5
O.I.C. 2021-120 (effective May 6, 2021), N.S. Reg. 73/2021
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Citation
Definitions
Processing claims
Hourly Fee
Returning office core staff
Returning office casual staff
Returning office field staff
Elections Nova Scotia casual support workers
Number of hours
Schedule of hourly fees
Authorized Expenses
Employment-related travel by election workers
Use of a building as a voting location
Headquarters for returning office
Miscellaneous expenditures for training, conducting an election or other purposes
Audit reimbursement fee
Bookkeeping services for electoral district association
Candidate software reimbursement
Products and services provided by Elections Nova Scotia
Increases in Consumer Price Index
Appendix A: Election Worker Hourly Fee Increments
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Election Tariff of Fees and Expenses.
Definitions
2 In this tariff,
“Act” means the Elections Act;
“CEO” means the Chief Electoral Officer;
“Elections Nova Scotia casual support worker” means an election worker who
assists Elections Nova Scotia’s head office as required, whose employment is
directly related to preparing for or conducting an election and whose position is
listed under the heading “Elections Nova Scotia casual support workers” in
Appendix A;
“minimum wage” means the fixed hourly wage rate for employees set out in the
Minimum Wage Order (General) made under the Labour Standards Code;
“returning office casual staff” means an election worker whose position is listed
under the heading “Returning office casual staff” in Appendix A;
“returning office core staff” means an election worker whose position is listed
under the heading “Returning office core staff” in Appendix A;
“returning office field staff” means an election worker whose position is listed
under the heading “Returning office field staff” in Appendix A.
Processing claims
3 (1) A claim made under this tariff for payment of an expense or for services must be
submitted to Elections Nova Scotia after the expense is incurred or the services are
rendered.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3), Elections Nova Scotia must not process a
claim that is received more than 6 months after the date that the expense was
incurred or the services were rendered.
(3) In extraordinary circumstances, the CEO may approve payment of a claim that is
received after the date specified in subsection (2).
Hourly Fee
Returning office core staff
4 The hourly fee to be paid to returning office core staff to attend training and meetings,
receive and respond to communications and provide services before, during and after an
election is the minimum wage plus the hourly fee increment for the election worker’s
position as set out under the heading “Returning office core staff” in Appendix A.
Returning office casual staff
5 The hourly fee to be paid for all training and services provided by returning office casual
staff during an election is the minimum wage plus the hourly fee increment for the
election worker’s position as set out under the heading “Returning office casual staff” in
Appendix A.
Returning office field staff
6 The hourly fee to be paid for all training and services provided by returning office field
staff during an election is the minimum wage plus the hourly fee increment for the
election worker’s position as set out under the heading “Returning office field staff” in
Appendix A.
Elections Nova Scotia casual support workers
7 The hourly fee to be paid for all training and services provided by Elections Nova Scotia
casual support workers is the minimum wage plus the hourly fee increment for the
election worker’s position as set out under the heading “Elections Nova Scotia casual
support workers” in Appendix A.
Number of hours
8 An election worker is entitled to payment of an hourly fee for services performed under
Sections 4, 5, 6 and 7 for the number of hours approved by the CEO.
Schedule of hourly fees
9 (1) Under subsection 355(2) of the Act, the CEO may review the hourly fee increment
amounts as set out in Appendix A for sufficiency of remuneration for the services
required to be performed by an election worker in a particular position.
(2) After completing a review under subsection (1), the CEO may do any of the
following:
(a) increase or decrease the hourly fee increment amount for an election worker
position as set out in Appendix A to an amount the CEO determines is
sufficient remuneration for the services required to be performed by the
election worker;
(b) if an additional election officer position is designated under clause 81(12)(a)
of the Act, add the election officer position to Appendix A;
(c) delete an election worker position from Appendix A if the election worker
position or category is no longer required.
(3) Any change made to Appendix A by the CEO under subsection (2) must be set
down in writing in a schedule of revised hourly fee increments and the CEO must
post that schedule as soon as practicable on the Elections Nova Scotia website with
a link to these regulations.
Authorized Expenses
Employment-related travel by election workers
10 (1) The CEO must establish a travel policy for election workers which
(a) outlines the requirements for employment-related travel;
(b) outlines the requirements for reimbursement of employment-related travel
expenses; and
(c) establishes that the reimbursement rates for employment-related travel
expenses are the same as those in place for public servants of the Province.
(2) A returning officer will be reimbursed for employment-related travel expenses only
if the returning officer has been authorized by the CEO to travel for the purposes of
the returning officer’s employment and the expenses claimed comply with the
travel policy established under subsection (1).
(3) An election worker other than a returning officer will be reimbursed for
employment-related travel expenses only if the election worker has been
authorized by a returning officer to travel for the purposes of the election worker’s
employment and the expenses claimed comply with the travel policy established
under subsection (1).
(4) During an election, the CEO may authorize the payment of an election worker’s
employment-related travel expenses that fall outside of the travel policy established
under subsection (1) in extenuating circumstances.
(5) A returning officer must receive written approval from the CEO before incurring
personal travel expenses or approving an election worker’s employment-related
travel expenses that fall outside of the travel policy established under subsection
(1).
Use of a building as a voting location
11 The fees to be paid for the use of a building or part of a building as a voting location,
which include the cost of heat, electricity, cleaning services and furniture, are as set out
in the following table:
Type of Voting Location
|
Fee for Building Use
|
Excluding mobile polling station
|
|
• Base fee for 1 polling station
|
$193.25 per day
|
• Fee for each additional polling station
|
$55.21 per day
|
• Fee for setup, as directed by the CEO
|
$193.25
|
With mobile polling station
|
$93.87 per day
|
Headquarters for returning office
12 During an election, the fee to be paid for the rental of a premises as a returning office
headquarters, which includes the fee for the operation of early voting polling stations at
the returning office headquarters, is the amount actually and reasonably spent in
accordance with the policies of the CEO and supported by a signed lease in the
prescribed form.
Miscellaneous expenditures for training, conducting an election or other purposes
13 The fee to be paid for office supplies or equipment, printing, the rental of premises for
training or any other ancillary purpose or other items necessary for conducting an
election is the amount actually and reasonably spent and supported by an itemized
invoice.
Audit reimbursement fee
14 The reimbursement fee an official agent may receive for the cost of an audit required by
the Act is as follows:
Audit of
|
Reimbursement Fee
|
Candidate
|
Amount of the auditor’s invoice for the audit
up to a maximum of $846.44
|
Registered party
|
Amount of the auditor’s invoice for the audit
up to a maximum of $1500.00
|
Bookkeeping services for electoral district association
15 (1) The CEO may reimburse an electoral district association for the actual costs
incurred by the electoral district association in a calendar year for the services of an
independent bookkeeper, including costs associated with accounting software
approved in advance by the CEO, to a maximum annual reimbursement of
$395.02.
(2) An electoral district association is not eligible for reimbursement of expenses
incurred for bookkeeping services if those services were provided to the electoral
district association by an individual who is not independent of the electoral district
association, including any of the following:
(a) a member of the electoral district association;
(b) a director or officer of the electoral district association;
(c) an official agent for any of the following:
(i) a candidate,
(ii) an electoral district association,
(iii) a registered party;
(d) any individual
(i) involved in raising, spending or having custody of money of a
candidate, electoral district association or registered party, or
(ii) having custody of property of a candidate, electoral district
association or registered party.
(3) To be eligible for reimbursement under this Section, an electoral district
association
(a) must have filed all reports, documents and information required by law, in a
form acceptable to the CEO; and
(b) must not have been suspended under the Act.
(4) An electoral district association must include the bookkeeper’s invoice and the
receipt for purchase of any accounting software with its request for reimbursement
under this Section.
(5) Reimbursement under this Section is paid by the CEO in June and December of a
calendar year.
Candidate software reimbursement
16 (1) The CEO may reimburse a candidate for the actual cost of software purchased for
the candidate’s campaign, to a maximum of $100.00, if that software is worksheet
software approved by the CEO that is compatible with Elections Nova Scotia.
(2) In order to be eligible for reimbursement under subsection (1), the candidate must
have completed all of the following tasks with respect to their campaign:
(a) filed all reports, documents and information required by the Act;
(b) filed an itemized receipt with the candidate’s financial report;
(c) provided an electronic worksheet of the candidate report to the CEO.
Products and services provided by Elections Nova Scotia
17 The fees for services provided and products created and supplied by Elections Nova
Scotia, other than products supplied during an election at no charge under subsection
10(5) of the Act, are as set out in the following table:
Product or Service
|
Fee
|
Provincial map of all electoral districts
|
$22.08
|
HRM inset map
|
$22.08
|
CBRM inset map
|
$22.08
|
Electoral district map
|
$22.08
|
Provincial general election results map
|
$22.08
|
List of electors
|
$27.61
|
Ballot box
|
$27.61
|
All other products and services
|
supplied on a cost-
recovery basis
|
Increases in Consumer Price Index
18 (1) If there is an increase in the annual Consumer Price Index for the Province in any
calendar year after this tariff comes into force, the fees paid under Sections 11, 14,
15, 16 and 17 must be increased on January 1 of the next calendar year and that
increase must take effect on April 1 of that same calendar year to reflect the
increase in the Consumer Price Index in the previous year.
(2) On or before April 1 of any year in which there is a fee increase in accordance with
subsection (1), the CEO must post the revised fees to be paid for that year on the
Elections Nova Scotia website with a link to these regulations.
________________________________________________________________
Appendix A: Election Worker Hourly Fee Increments
Position
|
Hourly Fee Increment
|
Returning office core staff
|
Returning officer
|
$20.00
|
Assistant returning officer
|
$14.50
|
Revision assistant
|
$12.50
|
Presiding officer at the returning office
|
$11.00
|
Deputy presiding officer at the returning office for the purpose of
counting write-in ballots
|
$11.00
|
Returning office casual staff
|
Write-in ballot coordinator
|
$10.00
|
Assistant write-in ballot coordinator
|
$5.00
|
Enumerator
|
$5.00
|
Clerical office support
|
$5.00
|
Technical support
|
$12.50
|
Returning office field staff
|
Presiding officer for early voting location outside the returning
office
|
$7.00
|
Poll supervisor
|
$8.00
|
Deputy returning officer
|
$5.00
|
Poll clerk
|
$5.00
|
Information officer
|
$3.00
|
Constable
|
$3.00
|
Ballot box courier
|
$5.00
|
Ballot counter
|
$5.00
|
Stand-by
|
$3.00
|
Elections Nova Scotia casual support workers
|
Election officer liaison
|
$14.50
|
Returning office support centre supervisor
|
$14.50
|
Returning office support centre agent
|
$12.00
|
The
following regulations are not yet in force and are not included in the current
consolidation: