Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9)

Marginal note:Appointment of deputy returning officer and poll clerk

• 273. (1) The returning officer shall appoint a deputy returning officer and poll clerk to verify the outer envelopes and to count the special ballots issued to electors in his or her electoral district and received in his or her office. More than one deputy returning officer and poll clerk may be appointed if the number of votes warrants it.

• Marginal note:Assignment of duties

  (2) The returning officer shall assign duties so that a deputy returning officer chosen from among the persons recommended by the registered party whose candidate finished first in the last election in the electoral district works with a poll clerk chosen from among the persons recommended by the registered party whose candidate finished second in that election in that electoral district.

• Marginal note:Merger of parties

  (3) For the purpose of subsection (2), in determining whether the candidate of a registered party finished first or second in the last election in a case where the registered party is the result of a merger with one or more parties that were registered parties at the last election, there shall be attributed to the candidate of the merged party, the number of votes of the candidate of the merging party with the largest number of votes at that last election.

• Marginal note:Notification to candidates

  (4) The returning officer shall, as soon as possible, notify the candidates of the name and address of the persons appointed as the deputy returning officer and the poll clerk.

Marginal note:Candidate present at counting

274. A candidate or his or her representative may be present for the verification of the outer envelopes and the counting of ballots received at the office of the returning officer.

Marginal note:Ballots to be kept sealed

• 275. (1) The returning officer shall ensure that the ballots received at his or her office are kept sealed until they are given to the deputy returning officer.

• Marginal note:Return outer envelopes

  (2) All outer envelopes received after the prescribed deadline shall be kept separate and sealed and shall be initialled by the returning officer and marked with the date and time of their receipt.

Marginal note:Verification of envelopes

• 276. (1) A deputy returning officer and a poll clerk shall verify the outer envelopes, at the time fixed by the Chief Electoral Officer and in accordance with his or her instructions, by determining from the information on the outer envelope whether the elector is entitled to vote in the electoral district.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (2) The returning officer shall notify the candidates of the time and place of the verification.

• Marginal note:Provision of materials to deputy returning officer

  (3) The deputy returning officer shall be provided with the applications for registration and special ballot received before the deadline, along with any other materials that may be required.