The following glossary is intended to provide a clear definition of the people and procedures of the electoral process. As well as terminology associated with the count of ballots.
People
Chief Electoral Officer
Appointed as an Officer of the Legislative Assembly by the Lieutenant Governor in Council (the Cabinet). He or she has overall responsibility for the conduct of provincial elections in Ontario.
Returning Officer
Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council for each of the electoral districts in the Province. Under the direction of the Chief Electoral Officer, Returning Officers are responsible for the conduct of elections in their electoral district.
Election Clerk
Appointed by each Returning Officer to assist in the administration of the election in the electoral district.
Revising Agents
Persons appointed as necessary by the Returning Officer. Revising agents work in pairs and make door-to-door visits to register qualified electors whose names do not appear on the List of Electors (Voters List).
Revision Assistant
Appointed by each Returning Officer to assist with the revision of the Voters List. He or she works in the returning office or at other fixed locations.
Deputy Returning Officer
Appointed by the Returning Officer from lists submitted by the candidates. Responsible for the conduct of the election at a specific polling place.
Poll Clerk
Assistant to the Deputy Returning Officer at each polling place. Appointed by the Returning Officer from lists submitted by the candidates.
Scrutineer
A person representing a candidate at the polling place to observe the voting and the counting of the ballots. Only one scrutineer per candidate is permitted to remain in the polling place at any one time. Any scrutineer who is not eligible to vote cannot challenge the eligibility of an elector.
Elector
A person who is eligible to vote in a provincial election.
Voter
An “elector” becomes a “voter” when he or she accepts a ballot at a polling place.
Procedures
Writ of Election
A Writ is prepared for each of the electoral districts in the province. These are the official documents issued in the name of the Sovereign which state that the election has begun. They set out the dates for the close of nominations and for election day and are sent by the Chief Electoral Officer to the Returning Officers. After the election, each Returning Officer completes the reverse side of the Writ, filling in the name of the candidate elected. This then becomes the official notification of the winning candidate to the Chief Electoral Officer.
Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario
An up-to-date listing of those who are eligible to vote in Ontario. The Permanent Register of Electors is updated between elections by a variety of means. The Chief Electoral Officer may exchange information with Elections Canada, with the Government of Canada and its agencies, with the Government of Ontario and its agencies, and with municipalities in Ontario. When an election is called, the Voters List for each electoral district is prepared from the updated Register.
Electoral District
The geographic area for which one person is elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Electoral boundaries are set out in the Representation Act.
Polling Division
The electoral district is divided into geographic areas called polling divisions. This is done for the purpose of administering the election. There is at least one polling place for each division.
Certificates to Vote
A Certificate to Vote may be obtained at the office of the Returning Officer or at other specified locations by eligible electors whose names do not appear on the Voters List. Certificates to Vote are issued up to 8:00 p.m. on the evening before election day and must be presented at the polling place in order to receive a ballot.
Nomination Paper
A document which gives the name and address of the candidate being proposed and is signed by at least 25 qualified electors. Nomination papers, with deposits, must be submitted to the Returning Officer of the electoral district during a period specified by the Election Act.
Count of ballots
Preliminary Count
As soon as the poll closes, the Deputy Returning Officer counts the ballots in front of those persons who are entitled to be present. The results, which are considered unofficial until the Official Tabulation, are recorded on the Certificate of the Ballot Count and telephoned to the Returning Officer.
Official Tabulation
At a specified place, date, and hour, the Returning Officer tabulates the vote from the Statement of the Poll from each polling place. This is done in the presence of the Election Clerk and of the candidates or their delegates or scrutineers. The Returning Officer declares –as elected– the candidate having the largest number of votes.
Ballot Statement of the Poll
An accounting of all the ballots which were provided to the Deputy Returning Officer for polling day. This accounting includes the valid ballots cast for each candidate, rejected ballots, unmarked ballots, cancelled ballots, declined ballots, and any unused ballots.
Judicial Recount
When the difference between the number of votes cast for the candidate with the most votes and the candidate with the next largest number is less than 25, the Returning Officer must apply to a judge for a recount.
A candidate or any elector in the electoral district may apply to a judge for a recount. This must be done within four days (Sunday excluded) of the declaration of the official results by the Returning Officer.
The applicant must present a sworn, signed statement that the ballot count by a Deputy Returning Officer at a polling place, or the Official Tabulation by the Returning Officer, was incorrectly made or improperly conducted.
Applications must be accompanied by a receipt indicating that a payment of $200 has been made as security for the costs of the recount. Applications for a recount may be refused by the judge.