Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (CEO) is an officer of Parliament. They oversee Elections Canada, the non-partisan agency that administers Canada’s federal elections and referendums. The position was created in 1920 under the Dominion Elections Act. The goal was to put an end to political partisanship in the administration of federal elections. Before 1920, election officials were appointed by the governing regime of the day. The role is now independent of the government, or any political parties. The Chief Electoral Officer is appointed by a resolution of the House of Commons. The CEO reports directly to the House. The CEO can only be removed for cause, by the governor general following a joint meeting of the House of Commons and the Senate.

Chief Electoral Officers

There have been seven Chief Electoral Officers of Canada since 1920:

Oliver Mowat Biggar (1920–27)
Jules Castonguay (1927–49)
Nelson Jules Castonguay (1949–66)
Jean-Marc Hamel (1966–90)
Jean-Pierre Kingsley (1990–07)
Marc Mayrand (2007–16)
Stéphane Perrault (2016–18, acting; 2018–present)

Responsibilities

Originally, the Chief Electoral Officer was responsible only for the administration of elections and by-elections. Under the Canada Elections Act and other laws now governing electoral matters, the mandate of the office has broadened. It now includes the administration of referendums, as well as other important aspects of the Canadian democratic system. These include:

Providing access to the voting system for all eligible citizens and encouraging voter turnout by providing not only polling stations and other facilities, but also public education and information about the voting process.
Overseeing the periodic readjustment of federal riding boundaries through independent commissions. (See Redistribution of Federal Electoral Districts.)
Ensuring the registration of political parties; the control of election spending by candidates and political parties; the examination and disclosure of party and candidate financial returns, and the reimbursement of their expenses according to formulas laid down in the Canada Elections Act.
Enforcing federal electoral legislation.
Chairing an advisory committee, with representatives of the registered political parties and of Elections Canada, to create good working relationships and resolve electoral administrative disputes.
Acting as a watchdog, on behalf of Parliament and the public, over government or other efforts to alter the electoral system, in a way that the CEO sees as harmful to Canada's democracy.

Voter turnout in Canadian elections has declined substantially since the 1990s. This phenomenon has created demands of Elections Canada and questions for the Chief Electoral Officer about what they can do to reverse the trend.