MR. JOHN LES

BILL M 215 — 2011

SENATE NOMINEE ELECTION ACT

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Contents
1  Purpose of this Act
Part 1 — Preliminary Matters
2  Interpretation and Application
Part 2 — Senate Nominees List
3  Senate nominees list
4  When individual ceases to be a nominee
Part 3 — Election Officers and Commencing Elections
5  Senators not eligible as election officers
6  Lieutenant Governor in Council to commence election
7  When elections are to be held
8  Issue of writ
9  Election proclamation
Part 4 — Candidates and Nominations
10  Qualifications for nomination
11  Business manager required
12  Filing and form of nomination paper
13  When nomination paper is valid
14  Description and affiliation of candidates
15  Candidate's deposit
16  Information to be provided to candidate
17  Withdrawal of candidate
18  Death of candidate
19  Close of nominations
20  Election by acclamation
Part 5 — Elections and Voting
21  Contents of ballot papers
22  Printing of ballots
23  Voting procedures
24  Special provision re rejecting certain ballots
25  Counting of votes
26  Recounts and appeals
27  Announcement of official results
28  Return to the writ
29  Preparation of Senate nominees list
30  When a Senate nominee may issue a disclaimer
Part 6 — Other
31  Controverter election
32  Expenditures limited during election
33  General offence
34  Appropriation
35  Regulations
Part 7 — Coming into Force
36  Coming into force

THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Purpose of this Act

1  The purpose of this Act is to set out the electoral process required to create a list of Senatorial nominees, selected by the electors of British Columbia, to be submitted by the Government of British Columbia to the Queen's Privy Council of Canada.

Part 1 — Preliminary Matters

Interpretation and Application

2  (1) In this Act:

(a) "candidate" means an individual who is nominated in accordance with Part IV as a candidate for election pursuant to this Act;

(b) "election proclamation" means an election proclamation issued pursuant to section 9;

(c) "minister" means the member of the Executive Council to whom for the time being the administration of this Act is assigned;

(d) "prescribed" means prescribed in the regulations;

(e) "registered political party" means a political party that is registered pursuant to either the Canada Elections Act or the Election Act.

(f) "Senate nominee" means a candidate who has been declared elected following the most recent election held pursuant to this Act as an individual whose name is to appear on the Senate nominees list to be submitted to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada in accordance with section 3;

(g) "writ" means a writ issued pursuant to section 8.

(2) For the purposes of this Act, a document that is required to be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer is filed when it is actually received by the Chief Electoral Officer.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this Act or the regulations, terms used in this Act have the meanings given to them in the Election Act.

Part 2 — Senate Nominees List

Senate nominees list

3  Following each election that is held pursuant to this Act:

(a) the Cabinet Secretary shall prepare a Senate nominees list in accordance with this Act; and

(b) the Government of British Columbia shall submit the names of the individuals on the Senate nominees list to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada as individuals who may be summoned to the Senate of Canada for the purpose of filling vacancies related to British Columbia.

When individual ceases to be a nominee

4  An individual remains as a Senate nominee until the earliest of:

(a) the day the individual is appointed to the Senate of Canada;

(b) the day the individual files a disclaimer with the Chief Electoral Officer in accordance with section 30;

(c) the date for the return to the writ of elections for the next election held pursuant to this Act following the election at which the individual was elected as a Senate nominee;

(d) the day the individual takes an oath or makes a declaration or acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or does an act whereby the individual becomes a subject or citizen, or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen, of a foreign power;

(e) the day the individual is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, or applies for the benefit of any law relating to insolvent debtors, or becomes a public defaulter;

(f) the day the individual is convicted of treason or convicted of a felony or of any infamous crime;

(g) the day the individual no longer meets the qualifications for appointment to the Senate of Canada pursuant to section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867;

(h) the day the individual ceases to be qualified to be nominated as a candidate pursuant to section 10.

Part 3 — Election Officers and Commencing Elections

Senators not eligible as election officers

5  (1) None of the following persons is eligible to be appointed as an election officer for the purposes of conducting an election pursuant to this Act:

(a) a member of the Executive Council;

(b) a member of the Senate, the House of Commons of Canada or the Legislative Assembly;

(c) a judge of the federal or provincial courts;

(d) the Chief Electoral Officer or the Assistant Chief Electoral Officer;

(e) a candidate at the election, a business manager of a candidate or a candidate's representative;

(f) a person who has been found guilty by a competent tribunal of a corrupt practice or who has been convicted by a competent tribunal of any offence against this Act or Election Act or any previous Election Act;

(g) a person convicted of an indictable offence within the five years preceding the date of the issue of the writ;

(h) any other person who is not eligible to be an election officer for the purposes of Election Act.

(2) No person mentioned in subsection (1) shall act as an election officer.

(3) A contravention of this section does not affect the validity of an election.

Lieutenant Governor in Council to commence election

6  (1) Subject to section 7, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may commence an election pursuant to this Act by issuing an order that directs the Chief Electoral Officer to issue a writ of election in the prescribed form.

(2) Subject to section 7, the order issued pursuant to subsection (1) must:

(a) fix the day that the Chief Electoral Officer shall issue the writ;

(b) fix the number of Senate nominees to be elected pursuant to regulations;

(c) fix the nomination day for candidates;

(d) fix any five days before polling day on which the advance poll is to be held, and those days:

(i) must not include a holiday; and

(ii) must be neither more than seven clear days nor less than one clear day before polling day;

(e) fix polling day;

(f) fix the day and time when, and the place where, the announcement of official results of the election is to be made as required by section 27; and

(g) fix the date of the return to the writ.

(3) An order issued pursuant to subsection (1) may contain any further prescribed matters.

When elections are to be held

7  (1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may commence an election pursuant to this Act only:

(a) in conjunction with a general election pursuant to the Election Act;

(b) in conjunction with a general election pursuant to the Canada Elections Act;

(c) in conjunction with a general local election pursuant to the Local Government Act;

(d) on a date fixed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

(2) If the Lieutenant Governor in Council issues an order pursuant to section 6 for an election to be held in conjunction with a general election pursuant to the Election Act:

(a) the order must be issued not later than three days after the issue of the writ of election of a general election pursuant to the Election Act;

(b) the day fixed in the order for the nomination of candidates must be the same day as nomination day for the general election pursuant to the Election Act; and

(c) the day fixed in the order for polling day must be the same day on which voting is to take place for the general election pursuant to the Election Act.

(3) If an election pursuant to this Act is to be held in conjunction with as general election pursuant to the Canada Elections Act, the Chief Electoral Officer may enter into an agreement respecting the conduct of an election pursuant to this Act with any person or body responsible for the conduct of the general election pursuant to the Canada Elections Act.

(4) If an election pursuant to this Act is to be held in conjunction with a general local election pursuant to the Local Government Act, the Chief Electoral Officer may enter into an agreement respecting the conduct of an election pursuant to this Act with any person or body responsible for the conduct of the general local election pursuant to the Local Government Act.

(5) Subject to the regulations, the Chief Electoral Officer shall adapt any of the provisions of this Act and the Election Act for the purposes of holding an election pursuant to this Act.

(6) If an election pursuant to this Act is to be held in conjunction with a general election pursuant to the Canada Elections Act, an order issued pursuant to section 6 may only be made if notice of the order has been published in the Gazette at least six months before the making of the order.

(7) If an election pursuant to this Act is to be held in conjunction with a general local election pursuant to the Local Government Act, an order issued pursuant to section 6 of this Act may only be made if notice of the order is made pursuant to section 44 of the Local Government Act.

(8) If the general election pursuant to the Election Act, the Local Government Act, or the Canada Elections Act is postponed:

(a) the election to be held pursuant to this Act is also postponed; and

(b) the order issued pursuant to section 6 and the proclamation issued pursuant to section 9 and deemed to be amended accordingly.

Issue of writ

8  (1) On receipt of an order issued pursuant to section 6, the Chief Electoral Officer shall issue the writ.

(2) A writ must:

(a) be in the prescribed form; and

(b) contain the prescribed matters.

(3) The Chief Electoral Officer shall deliver a copy of the writ to each district electoral officer.

Election proclamation

9  (1) As soon as possible after issuing a writ, the Chief Electoral Officer shall issue an election proclamation in the prescribed form with respect to each constituency.

(2) An election proclamation must set out:

(a) the day, time and place fixed for the nomination of candidates;

(b) the polling day;

(c) the name, address and telephone number of the district electoral officer;

(d) the number of Senate nominees to be elected; and

(e) any other prescribed matters.

(3) As soon as possible after issuing an election proclamation for a constituency, the Chief Electoral Officer shall provide the district electoral officer for the constituency with a copy of the election proclamation for the constituency.

(4) On receipt of an election proclamation pursuant to subsection (3), the district electoral officer shall cause copies of the election proclamation to be posted:

(a) in the district electoral officer's office; and

(b) with the approval of any proper officer of Canada Post Corporation, at every post office in the constituency.

(5) As soon as possible after the election proclamation is issued, the Chief Electoral Officer shall deliver:

(a) 10 copies of the election proclamation to the business manager, known to the Chief Electoral Officer, of each candidate or potential candidate; and

(b) one copy of the election proclamation to the council of each municipality wholly or partly situated within the constituency.

(6) Every council that receives a copy of an election proclamation pursuant to subsection (5) shall post a copy of the election proclamation in a conspicuous place in the municipality.

(7) A district electoral officer may post copies of an election proclamation at any other places in the constituency where the district electoral officer considers they will be reasonably safe from damage and will serve to inform the public.

(8) The Chief Electoral Officer may publish a copy of an election proclamation in any manner that the Chief Electoral Officer considers appropriate for the purposes of informing the public.

Part 4 — Candidates and Nominations

Qualification for nomination

10  An individual is qualified to be nominated as a candidate if that individual

(a) meets the requirements set out in section 52 (1) and (2) of the Election Act;

(b) on the day the nomination paper is filed, meets the qualifications set out in section 23 of the Constitution Act, 1867;

(c) is not prohibited from being a candidate for election pursuant to this Act or any other prescribed grounds.

Business manager required

11  (1) Before filing his or her nomination papers, every potential candidate shall appoint a business manager.

(2) A potential candidate shall appoint as business manager an individual who:

(a) is a voter; and

(b) is willing to serve as business manager and provides the potential candidate with his or her written consent to serve.

(3) A potential candidate or candidate shall give written notice of the name, address and telephone number of the individual appointed as business manager to:

(a) in the case of a potential candidate or candidate endorsed by a registered political party, the registered political party shall give that written notice to the Chief Electoral Officer; and

(b) in the case of a potential candidate or candidate not endorsed by a registered political party, the Chief Electoral Officer.

(4) Every business manager shall perform the duties imposed on, and may exercise the powers given to, business managers by this Act and the regulations.

(5) If it becomes necessary to appoint a new business manager, the candidate or potential candidate shall immediately notify the Chief Electoral Officer in writing of the name, address and telephone number of the individual so appointed.

Filing and form of nomination paper

12  (1) At any time following publication of an election proclamation and before 2:00 p.m. on nomination day, an individual who is qualified, pursuant to section 10, must submit nomination papers to the Chief Electoral Officer that contain, pursuant to subsection (6), the signatures and information of at least 1,000 eligible voters.

(2) A nomination paper must be in the prescribed form.

(3) Every individual who signs a nomination paper as a nominator shall sign in the presence of another voter.

(4) Each voter in whose presence the nominator signed the nomination paper shall:

(a) state his or her name and address on the nomination paper; and

(b) following the statement mentioned in clause (a), sign his or her name as witness.

(5) The candidate shall indicate his or her consent to serve by signing the nomination paper in the presence of a witness who shall:

(a) sign his or her name as witness; and

(b) take the affidavit of attestation forming part of the nomination paper.

(6) The nomination paper must contain the candidate's written consent to serve and must state:

(a) the name, address and occupation of the candidate;

(b) a specific place, being either a residence or a place of business in British Columbia, at which notices and other documents issued or to be served pursuant to this Act may be served on the candidate; and

(c) the name, address and telephone number of the candidate's business manager and the business manager's written consent to serve.

(7) Notwithstanding any other Act or law, leaving a copy of any notice or other document at the place mentioned in clause (6) (b) is deemed for the purposes of this Act to be personal service of that document on the candidate.

(8) The Chief Electoral Officer may, in the case of an emergency, accept a nomination paper by facsimile, if the originals and the deposit required by clause 13 (f) are subsequently provided to the Chief Electoral Officer within 48 hours after the end of the period mentioned in subsection (1).

(9) On the filing of a valid nomination paper, the Chief Electoral Officer shall give a receipt in the prescribed form as evidence of the receipt of the deposit required by clause 13 (f) and of the filing of the nomination paper.

When nomination paper is valid

13  A nomination paper is valid only if:

(a) it states an address within British Columbia at which documents may be served and notices may be given respecting the candidate;

(b) it contains the appointment, name, address and telephone number of the business manager of the individual being nominated;

(c) it states that the individual being nominated:

(i) is qualified pursuant to section 10 to be nominated; and

(ii) consents to the nomination;

(d) it states whether the individual being nominated is an independent candidate or is the officially endorsed candidate of a registered political party;

(e) it is accompanied with the names, addresses and signatures required by subsection 12 (4) of each voter who witnessed the signatures of the voters nominating the candidate;

(f) it if accompanied by a deposit in the amount of $5,000;

(g) it is signed by the candidate; and

(h) it is filed with the Chief Electoral Officer before 2:00 p.m. on nomination day.

Description and affiliation of candidates

14  (1) In this section, "party name or abbreviation" means the party name, short form of the party name or abbreviation of the party name of a registered political party that has been:

(a) filed and approved pursuant to either the Canada Elections Act or the Election Act; and

(b) approved pursuant to subsections (4) to (6).

(2) If a candidate has been endorsed by a registered political party and wishes to have the party name or abbreviation appear on the ballot paper and any election documents relating to him or her, the candidate shall file with the nomination paper a written document that is signed by the leader of the registered political party.

(3) A written document mentioned in subsection (2) must by filed with the Chief Electoral Officer.

(4) For the purposes of this section, the leader of a registered political party shall provide the Chief Electoral Officer with a written application setting out the following that are to be shown on any ballot paper and on any election documents:

(a) the full name of the registered political party as approved pursuant to either the Canada Elections Act or the Election Act;

(b) any short form of the name of the registered political party as approved pursuant to either the Canada Elections Act or the Election Act; and

(c) any abbreviation of the name of the registered political party as approved pursuant to either the Canada Elections Act or the Election Act.

(5) The Chief Electoral Officer shall examine the application submitted pursuant to subsection (4) and shall either approve or, in the circumstances set out in subsection (6), not approve the application.

(6) The Chief Electoral officer shall not approve the application if:

(a) the full name, short form of the name or abbreviation of the name of the registered political party provided to the Chief Electoral Officer is not identical to the party name, short form of the name or abbreviation of the name of the registered political party approved pursuant to the Canada Elections Act; or

(b) the name of the political party includes the word "Independent" or an abbreviation of that word.

(7) If a candidate files a written document signed by the leader of a registered political party in accordance with subsection (2), the political affiliation of the candidate must be stated on the ballot paper and the election documents relating to the candidate as being the registered political party that endorses that candidate.

(8) If a candidate does not file a written document from a leader of a registered political party in accordance with subsection (2) and the candidate does not wish to be described on the ballot paper or any election documents relating to him or her by the word "Independent", the candidate shall file with the nomination paper a written document signed by the candidate directing that the word "Independent" not be used.

(9) If a candidate files a written document in accordance with subsection (8), the candidate shall not be described on the ballot paper or any election documents relating to the candidate as having any political affiliation or by the use of the word "Independent".

(10) If a candidate does not file a written document in accordance with subsection (2) or (8), the candidate must be described on the ballot paper and any election documents relating to the candidate by the word "Independent".

Candidate's deposit

15  (1) The deposit mentioned in clause 13 (f):

(a) must be in Canadian currency;

(b) must be made payable to the Minister of Finance; and

(c) may be either a postal money order or in the form of a certified cheque drawn on a valid account in a bank, trust corporation or credit union.

(2) The Chief Electoral Officer shall immediately refund a deposit to a candidate after the final count of the vote if the candidate:

(a) receives a sufficient number of votes in order to qualify for the Senate nominees list; or

(b) obtains a number of votes equal to at least one-half of the total number of valid votes cast in favour of the candidate whose name is last on the Senate nominees list.

(3) If a candidate dies after being nominated and before the closing of the polling places on polling day, the deposit shall be refunded to the candidate's business manager.

(4) In all other cases a candidate forfeits his or her deposit, and the Chief Electoral Officer shall forward the deposit to the Minister of Finance for deposit in the general revenue fund.

Information to be provided to candidate

16  On the filing of a valid nomination paper of a candidate, the Chief Electoral Officer shall provide to the candidate the name, address and telephone number of each district electoral officer.

Withdrawal of candidate

17  (1) A candidate who is nominated may withdraw at any time after his or her nomination and before the close of polling day by filing with the Chief Electoral Officer a written declaration in the prescribed form.

(2) Votes that are cast for a candidate who withdraws are void.

(3) If the withdrawal of a candidate leaves only one candidate for the election, the Chief Electoral Officer shall immediately declare the remaining candidate duly elected and shall proceed to do the things mentioned in section 20.

(4) A candidate who withdraws after his or her nomination forfeits his or her deposit.

Death of candidate

18  If a candidate dies after being nominated and before the closing of the polling places on polling day, any votes cast for that candidate are void.

Close of nominations

19  (1) On nomination day, the Chief Electoral Officer shall:

(a) attend at the place fixed for the nomination of candidates at 9:00 a.m.;

(b) read or cause to be read publicly the writ;

(c) immediately announce in an audible voice the nominations that have been received; and

(d) from time to time until 2:00 p.m., announce any further nominations that are received.

(2) At 2:00 p.m. on nomination day, if there is more than one candidate remaining in nomination, the Chief Electoral officer shall, at the place fixed for the nomination:

(a) declare the nominations closed; and

(b) in an audible voice:

(i) announce the name, political affiliation, if any, address and occupation of each candidate;

(ii) announce the name, address and telephone number of each candidate's business manager; and

(iii) announce the date of polling day and the place, date and time at which the official results of the election pursuant to this Act will be announced.

(3) On complying with subsection (2), the Chief Electoral Officer shall, as soon as possible:

(a) make available a list of the candidates to each candidate or each candidate's business manager; and

(b) publish a notice in the prescribed form of:

(i) the name, political affiliation, if any, address and occupation of each candidate;

(ii) the name, address and telephone number of each candidate's business manager; and

(iii) the date of polling day.

(4) The Chief Electoral Officer shall publish the notice required by clause (3) (b) in one or more newspapers having general circulation in British Columbia.

Election by acclamation

20  If only one candidate remains in nomination at the close of nominations, the Chief Electoral Officer shall immediately:

(a) declare the candidate elected;

(b) give to the candidate, or, if the candidate is absent, the candidate's business manager or to any individual authorized in writing by the candidate, a certificate that the candidate has been election; and

(c) forward to the Cabinet Secretary:

(i) a return to the writ in the prescribed form; and

(ii) a certificate in writing declaring the candidate elected.

Part 5 — Elections and Voting

Contents of ballot papers

21  (1) Every ballot paper used in an election pursuant to this Act shall contain a brief explanatory note stating the maximum number of Senate nominees that may be elected as fixed pursuant to clause 6 (2) (b).

(2) Every ballot paper must be printed in the prescribed form.

(3) Every ballot paper must contain:

(a) the names and occupations of the candidates as set out in the nomination papers, arranged alphabetically according to the respective surnames and with the surname last;

(b) with respect to any candidate who is endorsed by a registered political party whose application has been approved pursuant to subsections 14 (4) to (6), the political affiliation of the candidate in brackets beneath the candidate's name, as being that of the registered political party that endorses the candidate; and

(c) with respect to any candidate to whom subsection 14 (10) applies, the word "Independent" in brackets beneath the candidate's name.

Printing of ballots

22  (1) The Chief Electoral Officer4 shall cause ballot papers to be printed in the prescribed manner.

(2) Every printer shall:

(a) comply with any prescribed requirements; and

(b) deliver to the Chief Electoral Officer:

(i) an affidavit in the prescribed form; and

(ii) the printed ballot papers.

(3) The Chief Electoral OFficer shall provide each district electoral officer with a sufficient quantity of ballot papers and shall maintain a record of the number provided.

(4) Each district electoral officer shall maintain a record in the prescribed form of the quantity of ballot papers he or she has provided to the deputy district electoral officers.

Voting procedures

23  Subject to this Act and the regulations, voting is to be conducted in the manner set out in the Election Act and that Act applies, with any necessary modification, for that purpose.

Special provision rejecting certain ballots

24  (1) Subject to subsection (2) and to the regulations, ballots are to be rejected, and rejected ballots are to be handled, in accordance with section 142 of the Election Act, and that section applies, with any necessary modification, for the purposes of this section.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of the Election Act, any ballot must be rejected if it contains votes for more than the maximum number of Senate nominees that may be elected as fixed pursuant to clause 6 (2) (b).

Counting of votes

25  (1) Subject to this Act and the regulations, the preliminary counting and final counting of the votes by a district electoral officer are to be conducted in the manner set out in the Election Act and that Act applies, with any necessary modification, for that purpose.

(2) On or before the expiry of the prescribed period, each district electoral officer shall submit to the Chief Electoral Officer a statement of official results of the counted votes.

(3) A statement of official results required pursuant to subsection (2) must be in the prescribed form.

(4) The Chief Electoral Officer shall add together the results of the counts set out in all of the statements of official results submitted by district electoral officers in order to determine the number of votes each candidate received.

(5) The Chief Electoral Officer shall give written notice to each candidate or each candidate's business manager of the place, date and hour of commencement of the addition mentioned in subsection (4).

(6) The Chief Electoral Officer shall comply with subsection (7) if:

(a) it appears on the addition of the votes that two or more candidates received the same number of votes; and

(b) it is necessary to do so in order to determine:

(i) the candidates who are elected and who are to be included in the return to the writ as individuals whose names will appear on the Senate nominees list; or

(ii) the order of the names of the candidates who are to be included in the return to the writ.

(7) In the circumstances mentioned in subsection (6), the Chief Electoral Officer shall:

(a) write the names of those candidates separately on blank sheets of paper of equal size and of the same colour and texture;

(b) fold the sheets of paper in a uniform manner so that the names are concealed;

(c) deposit the sheets of paper in a receptacle;

(d) direct an individual who is not a candidate or candidate's business manager and who, in the opinion of the Chief Electoral Officer, is independent of any candidate to draw one of the sheets; and

(e) declare the name of the candidate whose name appears on the drawn sheet to have one more vote than the other candidate or candidates, as the case may be.

(8) The drawn sheet shall be sealed in an envelop marked with the words "Declared Vote" and kept separate from the other ballots.

(9) On completing the addition, the Chief Electoral Officer shall provide to each candidate or each candidate's business manager a certificate and return in the prescribed form that sets out:

(a) the number of votes for each candidate; and

(b) the name or names of the candidate or candidates whose names will appear on the return to the writ as individuals whose names will appear on the Senate nominees list.

(10) The Chief Electoral Officer shall retain the statements of official results and the tabulation of official results for a period of one year after announcing the official results of the election pursuant to this Act.

Recounts and appeals

26  Subject to this Act and the regulations, recounts and appeals of the vote must be conducted in the manner set out in the Election Act and that Act applies, with any necessary modification, for that purpose.

Announcement of official results

27  The Chief Electoral Officer shall attend at the place, date and time stated in the election proclamation and announce, in an audible voice:

(a) the official results of the election pursuant to this Act; and

(b) the name or names of the candidate or candidates whose names will appear on the return to the writ as individuals whose names will appear on the Senate nominees list and in what order the names will appear.

Return to the writ

28  (1) After complying with sections 25 and 27, the Chief Electoral Officer shall make a return to the writ.

(2) A return to the writ must:

(a) be in the prescribed form; and

(b) contain the name or names of the candidate or candidates elected in accordance with this Act as the individuals who are to appear on the Senate nominees list and in what order the names will appear.

(3) The Chief Electoral Officer shall deliver the return to the writ to the Cabinet Secretary.

Preparation of Senate nominees list

29  (1) On receipt of the return to the writ pursuant to section 20 or 28, the Cabinet Secretary shall prepare the Senate nominees list for the purposes of section 3.

(2) Subject to section 20, the candidate with the highest number of votes shall be declared to be the first name on the Senate nominees list and the candidate with the next highest number of votes shall be the next name on the list and so on until the maximum number of Senate nominees, as fixed pursuant to clause 6 (2) (b), appears on the list.

When a Senate nominee may issue a disclaimer

30  (1) An individual whose name appears on the Senate nominees list may, by filing with the Chief Electoral Officer a disclaimer in the prescribed form, request:

(a) that the individual's name not be submitted to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada; or

(b) that, if the individual's name has been submitted, the submission of the individual's name be withdrawn.

(2) The filing of a disclaimer pursuant to subsection (1) does not affect any application for an appeal or recount by another candidate or the right of that other candidate to have his or her name included in the Senate nominees list.

Part 6 — Other

Controverted election

31  (1) Any defeated candidate or voter may petition the supreme Court of British Columbia against the undue election of a candidate at an election held pursuant to this Act.

(2) Subject to the regulations, a petition must be made and dealt with in accordance with section 150 of the Election Act and that Act applies, with any necessary modification, for the purposes of this Act.

Expenditures limited during election

32  (1) No candidate and no business manager or other person acting on behalf of a candidate within the scope of that person's authority shall incur election expenses that exceed the amount prescribed by regulation.

(2) No candidate and no business manager or other person acting on behalf of a candidate shall fail to comply with the prescribed election financing requirements.

General offence

33  Any person who contravenes any provision of this Act or the regulations is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

Appropriation

34  Sums required for the purposes of this Act are to be paid out of moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of this Act.

Regulations

35  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations:

(a) defining, enlarging or restricting the meaning of any word or expression used in this Act but not defined in this Act;

(b) adopting any provisions of the Election Act or of any regulations made pursuant to that Act and requiring compliance with those provisions;

(c) adopting any form, oath, declaration or notice prescribed pursuant to the Election Act or any regulations made pursuant to that Act;

(d) amending or otherwise modifying any of the following adopted pursuant to clause (b) or (c):

(i) a provision of the Election Act;

(ii) a provision of any regulations made pursuant to the Election Act; or

(iii) a form, oath, declaration or notice;

(e) prescribing forms for the purposes of this Act;

(f) prescribing matters to be included in an order issued pursuant to section 6;

(g) prescribing matters to be included in a writ;

(h) prescribing matters to be included in an election proclamation;

(i) prescribing the manner in which ballot papers must be printed;

(j) prescribing requirements that printers must comply with when printing ballot papers;

(k) prescribing election expenditure limits pursuant to section 32;

(l prescribing the number of Senate nominees pursuant to section 6;

(m) respecting the manner in which rejected ballots are to be handled;

(n) for the purposes of section 25, prescribing the period within which a returning officer must submit a statement of official results of the counted votes to the Chief Electoral Officer;

(o) respecting election financing requirements that every candidate, every business manager and every other person acting on behalf of a candidate must comply with, including, without restricting the generality of clause (b), adopting for that purpose any provisions of the Election Act or of any regulations made pursuant to that Act and requiring compliance with those provisions;

(p) prescribing any other matter or thing required or authorized by this Act to be prescribed in the regulations;

(q) respecting any other matter or thing that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers necessary to carry out the intent of this Act.

Part 7 — Coming into Force

Coming into force

36  This Act comes into force on proclamation.