The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (french: Directeur général des élections du Canada) is the person responsible for the administration of elections,
referendums and other aspects of the
electoral system
An electoral system or voting system is a set of rules that determine how elections and referendums are conducted and how their results are determined. Electoral systems are used in politics to elect governments, while non-political elections m ...
in Canada. The position was established in 1920 under the
Dominion Elections Act
The ''Dominion Elections Act'' was a bill passed by the House of Commons of Canada in 1920, under Robert Borden's Unionist government. The Act allowed white women to run for the Parliament of Canada. However, women from most/all minorities, f ...
to be the chief executive of the independent agency now known as
Elections Canada.
The chief electoral officer is assisted in carrying out their mandate by the assistant chief electoral officer and the broadcasting arbitrator who ensures that the provisions of the
Canada Elections Act
The ''Canada Elections Act'' (french: Loi électorale du Canada; full title: ''An Act respecting the election of members to the House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts'', full ...
and the
Canada Referendum Act
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by total ...
are carried out, and the Commissioner of Canada Elections who enforces the act.
Stéphane Perrault was appointed chief electoral officer for Elections Canada on June 8, 2018, after having served as acting chief electoral officer from December 2016 to June 2018. Perrault is scheduled to hold this position for a 10-year term.
List of Chief Electoral Officers of Canada
*
Oliver Mowat Biggar
Oliver Mowat Biggar, (October 11, 1876 – September 4, 1948) was a Canadian lawyer and civil servant. He was the second Judge Advocate General (Canada), judge advocate general for the Canadian Militia and the first Chief Electoral Officer (Canad ...
(1920–1927)
*
Jules Castonguay
Jules is the French form of the Latin "Julius" (e.g. Jules César, the French name for Julius Caesar). It is the given name of:
People with the name
* Jules Aarons (1921–2008), American space physicist and photographer
*Jules Abadie (1876–19 ...
(1927–1949)
*
Nelson Jules Castonguay
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
(1949–1966)
*
Jean-Marc Hamel
Jean-Marc Hamel, (born February 19, 1925) is a Canadian government official. He was the Chief Electoral Officer from 1966 to 1990.
Born in Lotbinière, Quebec, he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1948 and a Master of Commerce degree i ...
(1966–1990)
*
Jean-Pierre Kingsley
Jean-Pierre Kingsley (born July 12, 1943) is a Canadian civil servant and businessman who served as the president and CEO of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). He was the chief electoral officer of Elections Canada befo ...
(1990–2007)
*
Marc Mayrand
Marc Mayrand is a Canadian public servant who served as the sixth chief electoral officer of Canada from 2007 to 2016, where he oversaw Elections Canada.
Career
Mayrand studied law at the University of Ottawa and the London School of Economic ...
(2007–2016)
*
Stéphane Perrault
Stéphane Perrault (born in Montreal, Quebec), is a Canadian civil servant and the current Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.
Career
Perrault started his law career clerking for Supreme Court justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé.
Perrault began his ...
Acting (2016-2018) (2018-)
References
External links
Elections Canada On-Line - Chief Electoral Officer of Canada{{Officers of Parliament in Canada
Officers of the Parliament of Canada