APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF ELECTION AND DEPUTY CHIEF ELECTION OFFICERS

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF ELECTION AND DEPUTY CHIEF ELECTION OFFICERS

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT, pursuant to Section 58 (1) of the Local Government Act, that Kuldeep Mann be appointed Chief Election Officer for conducting the 2026 general local elections;

AND THAT Dawn Helgason and Jennifer-Lynn Cochrane be appointed Deputy Chief Election Officers for the 2026 general local elections.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

• Option #2: Council could choose to only appoint one Deputy Chief Election Officer for the 2026 elections, though with an increasing population and two polling places that require skilled support on general voting day, this option is not recommended.
• Option #3: Council could choose to not hire external assistance. However, on top of the rationale described in the above Option #2, the existing staff compliment is unable to solely take on the volume of additional work required for an election. As well, the public perception of a more arm’s length process is important. Accordingly, this option is not recommended.

PURPOSE:

To obtain a resolution of Council for the appointment of the Chief Election and Deputy Chief Election Officer.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:

Local government elections are scheduled to take place on October 17, 2026. Council should appoint a Chief Election Officer (CEO) and Deputy Chief Election Officers (DCEOs) as soon as possible to allow training and election preparations to commence in accordance with legislative timelines.

Under Section 58 of the Local Government Act, Council is required to appoint the CEO and DCEOs by resolution.

It is recommended that Ms. Kuldeep (Kipp) Mann be appointed as CEO. Ms. Mann brings extensive election experience, having served as Deputy District Electoral Officer in provincial elections, held various roles with Elections Canada, and acted as a Presiding Election Official for the 2017 View Royal By-Election, the 2018 View Royal Local Government Election, and the 2022 Capital Regional District General Election.

It is further proposed that Dawn Helgason and Jennifer Cochrane be appointed as DCEOs. Dawn brings significant election experience, having served as the District Electoral Officer for two provincial elections, acted as a Presiding Election Official in a local government election, and managed polling operations as a Poll Operations Manager for a federal election. Jennifer has previously assisted with the Town’s local government elections and brings familiarity with the Town’s election procedures.

The Corporate Administration Department has limited internal staffing capacity and must continue to maintain regular municipal operations during the election period. Administering a municipal election requires specialized and time-sensitive staff commitments, including legislative compliance, operational oversight, risk management, and coordination of election day logistics.

In previous municipal elections, the Town has successfully contracted an external CEO and DCEO, which ensured that elections were administered efficiently, accurately, and in accordance with legislative requirements while allowing internal staff to maintain essential municipal services. Engaging external election officials also promotes transparency and public confidence, reinforcing the neutrality and independence of the electoral process.

In summary, continuing this established practice offers the following benefits:

• dedicated and specialized election administration expertise;
• sufficient staffing capacity focused exclusively on election delivery;
• reduced operational impact on regular municipal services; and
• enhanced perception of fairness, independence, and transparency.

Therefore, staff recommend continuing the established practice of contracting a Chief Election Officer and Deputy Chief Election Officer for the upcoming municipal election.

ANALYSIS:

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

ALIGNMENT:

The recommended option aligns with the Town’s following core guiding documents as follows:

Strategic Plan:

• Good Governance – ensuring fair, transparent, and impartial processes that maintain public confidence in municipal decision-making.
• Service Excellence – ensure core municipal services, including statutory election administration, are delivered efficiently and in compliance with legislative requirements.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

☐ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
☒ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

Timely approval enables the Chief Election Officer and Deputy Chief Election Officers to commence election preparations in accordance with legislated timelines.