27 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

30 Nov 2005, TheTyee.ca

 

http://thetyee.ca/Vi...eenControversy/

 

 

 

Last week, Sam Sullivan was elected mayor of Vancouver with 47.3 percent of the vote. His closest challenger, Jim Green, had 44.5 percent of the vote. The third place candidate, James Green, had a little over three percent. What would have happened if James Green was not on the ballot? Were all or most of his voters just confused Jim Green supporters? Possibly. Were some of them people who would never have voted for Jim Green? Also likely. Unfortunately, we will never know the true answer.

[Mike K.]

Oh wow...

[Holden West]

A more detailed example: say I sign up under the name, "The Real Dean Fortin". This time, the clerk gets a little nervous but I'm prepared--yes, that's my "usual" name, and here is my nominator. He says, "Yep, for a long time we'd always say your political ideas are better than Dean's--your the real Dean Fortin, dude! Everyone says it, man!" The clerk shrugs and says "that's democracy for you". 

 

Word gets out there are two Deans running for mayor and there's enough confusion at the ballot box that the joke candidate pulls in a couple thousand undeserved votes, altering the outcome.

 

The City failed miserably here. A nickname in between your actual name can be permitted ("Lower Taxes", "Slim", "VicHockeyFan") but anything else is deceptive. 

 

And what is the ballot going to look like? Is he going to be listed as "CLOWN Changes the"?

 

I realize now that Changes the Clown is not first/last name, it's a single phrase like "Cher" or "The Fresh Prince" so that's how it must appear on the ballot.

 

So your ballot will look something like this:

 

• ANDREW, Stephen
• CHANGES THE CLOWN
• CHONG, Ida
• FORTIN, Dean
• GODRON, R.
• HELPS, Lisa
• SHEBIB, David Michael

[VicHockeyFan]

Andrew J. Reeve told us that they might not do the names alphabetically, they might be random.  But not 100% confirmed.

[Holden West]

^Why would they list them randomly? Has there ever been an instance where it wasn't done alphabetically?

[VicHockeyFan]

^Why would they list them randomly? Has there ever been an instance where it wasn't done alphabetically?

 

He thought that this might be a new norm.

 

EDIT:

 

http://www.bclaws.ca....xml#section104

 

 

Order of names on ballot

106  (1) Unless a bylaw under section 107 is adopted,

(a) the names of the candidates must be arranged alphabetically by their surnames, and

(b) if 2 or more candidates have the same surname, the names of those candidates must be arranged alphabetically in order of their first given names.

(2) If 2 or more candidates

(a) have the same surnames and given names, or

(b) have names so similar that, in the opinion of the chief election officer, they are likely to cause confusion,

the chief election officer, after receiving the approval of these candidates, may include on the ballot additional information to assist the electors to identify the candidates, subject to the restrictions under section 105 (3).

(3) The chief election officer's decision on the order of names on a ballot is final.

Order of names on ballot determined by lot

107  (1) A local government may, by bylaw, permit the order of names on a ballot to be determined by lot in accordance with this section.

(2) The chief election officer must notify all candidates as to the date, time and place when the determination is to be made.

(3) The only persons who may be present at the determination are the candidates, or their official agents, and any other persons permitted to be present by the chief election officer.

(4) The procedure for the determination is to be as follows:

(a) the name of each candidate is to be written on a separate piece of paper, as similar as possible to all other pieces prepared for the determination;

(b) the pieces of paper are to be folded in a uniform manner in such a way that the names of the candidates are not visible;

© the pieces of paper are to be placed in a container that is sufficiently large to allow them to be shaken for the purpose of making their distribution random, and the container is to be shaken for this purpose;

(d) the chief election officer is to direct a person who is not a candidate or candidate representative to withdraw the papers one at a time;

(e) the name on the first paper drawn is to be the first name on the ballot, the name on the second paper is to be the second, and so on until the placing of all candidates' names on the ballot has been determined.

 

 

 

[AndrewReeve]

Andrew J. Reeve told us that they might not do the names alphabetically, they might be random.  But not 100% confirmed.

 

I had been told this summer that it was something being considered by legislative services for this election. However, the date for amending election bylaws has since passed and I will find myself near the bottom of the ballot this November.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ah, got it.