Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
November 18, 2015

Media Advisory: Permission Required for Entrance to Polling Stations

In an effort to streamline proceedings at polling stations on advance poll day and election day, media are advised that permission is required to enter polling stations for the purpose of reporting and/or filming (in accordance with section 97.1(1) the Elections Act, 1991).

Elections Newfoundland and Labrador has created an application form, CM-3 (Application for Entrance to a Polling Station), which media representatives must submit to the Returning Officer for the electoral district polls they intend to visit. The Returning Officer will then provide signed authorization on form CM-4 (Permission for Entrance to a Polling Station). That permission form must be shown to the Deputy Returning Officer at the polling station. Without it, entrance will not be permitted.

Some additional notes:

• If a reporter intends to visit polling stations in multiple electoral districts, CM-3 forms must be submitted to the Returning Officers for each district.
• The CM-4 permission form is transferable to other reporters within the same organization if the original applicant is unable to complete the visit.
• If a reporter is visiting a poll with a camera person, only the reporter is required to have the CM-4 permission form.

Both the CM-3 and CM-4 are available on the Elections Newfoundland and Labrador website at www.elections.gov.nl.ca/elections/Newsroom/index.asp.

The full listing of district Returning Officers and their contact information is also online at www.elections.gov.nl.ca/elections/pdf/2015.RO.Locations.pdf .

- 30 -

Media contact:

Adrienne Luther Communications and Training Manager Elections Newfoundland and Labrador Office of the Chief Electoral Officer 709-729-1474, 687-4217 adrienneluther@gov.nl.ca

2015 11 18                              10:15 a.m.