By Charles Lefebvre

Alberta tables bill proposing changes to municipal elections

Nov 5, 2018 | 4:36 PM

EDMONTON, AB — The provincial government has tabled a bill aimed at changing finance rules for municipal elections.

Bill 23, entitled An Act to Renew Local Democracy, would make updates to the Local Authorities Election Act, which governs elections for municipalities, school boards, irrigation districts and Métis Settlements.

“We heard from Albertans that elections should be decided by people, not by money,” said Shaye Anderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs, in a news release. “Our government made provincial elections fairer and more transparent, and now we are committed to doing the same on the municipal level.”

The proposed bill would ban corporate and union donations during municipal elections, similar to what’s already in place at the provincial level. The act would also lower contribution limits to $4,000 across the province for municipal elections, as well as $4,000 for school board elections. It would also require third parties to be more transparent about their contributions, as it would close a loophole that allows candidates to raise funds without disclosing their donors.

The amendments would also allow the Alberta election commissioner to investigate, prosecute and enforce rules related to campaign finance and third-party advertising.

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“Active oversight by an independent enforcement body helps to ensure integrity in our electoral process,” said Lorne Gibson, Alberta Election Commissioner, in a news release. “It not only holds to account those who break the rules, but deters others from doing so and helps voters maintain trust in their elections. Without education, prevention and effective enforcement, even the best election laws are merely good intentions.”

The act would also require communities of more than 5,000 to hold advance votes, and establish a future regulation to set campaign spending limits for municipal and school board elections.

The proposed bill would also require campaign disclosure statements from all candidates, including self-funded candidates.

The legislation was informed through consultation with Albertans throughout the summer.