February 5, 1999
(Office of the Chief Electoral Officer)

NOTE TO EDITORS:   

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer would like to remind all media of the legislative provisions surrounding admittance to polling stations during advance and regular polls.

Under section 97 (1.1) of the Elections Act, 1991, only election officials, accredited scrutineers, a candidate for the electoral district in which the polling station is located, and electors are permitted to be present inside polling stations on advance or regular polling day. However, returning officers may permit supervised polling station access to a media representative if notice is given in advance.

The returning officer or deputy returning officer will ensure the media representative does not interact with any person inside the polling station. In addition, any equipment that needs to be set up should not interfere with voting or focus on an individual.

The returning officer or deputy returning officer will escort the media representative from the polling station after brief and reasonable access. If an elector within or entering a polling station objects to a media representative being present at any time, the media representative cannot stay.

Please contact the returning officer in the appropriate district in advance if you wish to report on activities taking place at a polling station in an electoral district on advance or regular polling day.

Media contact: Jackie Simon, Public Information Officer, (709) 729-0712.

1999 02 05                                         11:45 a.m.