Marginal note:Communication of results

• 280. (1) The Chief Electoral Officer shall, without delay after the closing of the polling stations at an election, inform each returning officer of the results of the count under Division 6 for the returning officer’s electoral district, giving the number of votes cast for each candidate and the number of rejected ballots.

• Marginal note:Release of information

  (2) When the returning officer receives information from the Chief Electoral Officer respecting the results of the count under Division 6, the returning officer shall add those results to the results of the count under Division 7 and release all of them as being the results of the vote under the Special Voting Rules.

Marginal note:Prohibitions — inside or outside Canada

281. No person shall, inside or outside Canada,

• (a) wilfully disclose information as to how a ballot or special ballot has been marked by an elector;

• (b) wilfully interfere with, or attempt to interfere with, an elector when marking a ballot or special ballot, or otherwise attempt to obtain any information as to the candidate for whom any elector is about to vote or has voted;

• (c) knowingly make a false statement in an application for registration and special ballot;

• (d) knowingly apply for a ballot or special ballot to which that person is not entitled;

• (e) knowingly make a false statement in a declaration signed by him or her before a deputy returning officer;

• (f) knowingly make a false declaration in the statement of ordinary residence completed by him or her;

• (g) wilfully prevent or endeavour to prevent an elector from voting at an election; or

• (h) wilfully at the counting of the votes, attempt to obtain information or communicate information obtained at the counting as to the candidate for whom a vote is given in a particular ballot or special ballot.

Marginal note:Prohibitions — outside Canada

282. No person shall, outside Canada,

• (a) by intimidation or duress, compel a person to vote or refrain from voting or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate at an election under this Part; or

• (b) by any pretence or contrivance, including by representing that the ballot or the manner of voting at an election is not secret, induce a person to vote or refrain from voting or vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate at an election under this Part.

Marginal note:Counting the votes

• 283. (1) Immediately after the close of a polling station, the deputy returning officer shall count the votes in the presence of the poll clerk and any candidates or their representatives who are present or, if no candidates or representatives are present, in the presence of at least two electors.

• Marginal note:Tally sheets

  (2) The deputy returning officer shall supply the poll clerk and all the persons referred to in subsection (1) who are present and who so request with a tally sheet to keep their own score of the voting.

• Marginal note:Steps to follow

  (3) The deputy returning officer shall, in the following order,

  • (a) count the number of electors who voted at the polling station, make an entry at the end of the list of electors that states “The number of electors who voted at this election in this polling station is (stating the number)”, sign the list, and place the list in the envelope supplied for the purpose;

  • (b) count the spoiled ballots, place them in the envelope supplied for the purpose, indicate on the envelope the number of spoiled ballots, and seal it;

  • (c) count the unused ballots that are not detached from the books of ballots, place them with the stubs of the used ballots in the envelope supplied for the purpose, indicate on the envelope the number of unused ballots, and seal it;

  • (d) total the numbers arrived at in paragraphs (a) to (c) in order to ascertain that all ballots that were provided by the returning officer are accounted for;

  • (e) open the ballot box and empty its contents onto a table; and

  • (f) examine each ballot, show the ballot to each person who is present, and ask the poll clerk to make a note on the tally sheet beside the name of the candidate for whom the vote was cast for the purpose of arriving at the total number of votes cast for each candidate.