New Returning Officers Appointed

Development of a new and accurate "made in Nova Scotia" voters' list has begun with the recent appointment of seven new returning officers. The officers will fill vacancies that have existed for some time.

This is the first step in overcoming problems with the voters' list used in the last provincial general election. That list relied heavily on the federal voters' list for information. There was no provincial enumeration.

Nova Scotia's chief electoral officer, Christine McCulloch, said today, April 4, the role of returning officers must change.

"It is no longer a 30-day job that starts when the writ is dropped," she said. "It now involves more ongoing and comprehensive responsibility if we are to have a current and accurate permanent list."

A 2004 report by the Nova Scotia Election Commission on problems in the 2003 provincial election concluded that a permanent provincial list of voters is a critical component in an effective electoral process.

"We want to make the whole electoral process in Nova Scotia much easier for voters of all ages," said Ms. McCulloch. "This will require time and some public education and that's why we need these returning officers in place right now. Additional officers will be appointed soon to help us get on with this important work."