Amendments Modernize Electoral Process

Amendments to the Elections Act and House of Assembly Act introduced today, February 26, will modernize the electoral process.

Most of the amendments were recommended by Nova Scotia’s Chief Electoral Officer following the 2021 and 2024 provincial elections.

“It is important for legislation to keep pace with current times, and these amendments will ensure that and make elections easier to navigate for everyone involved,” said Attorney General and Justice Minister Scott Armstrong. “Many of these changes clarify current requirements and help make the electoral process more streamlined.”

The amendments include:

• removing the requirement for returning officers to reside in the electoral district in which they were appointed
• removing the requirement for candidates to pay a $200 nomination deposit
• clarifying rules on the transfer of services, money or property among related entities to cover situations that arise when a candidate later runs as an independent or for a different registered party
• allowing candidates to pay for publicity costs directly and with their personal credit card
• limiting an official agent to represent a maximum of one candidate per electoral district
• changing the term for the chair of the Election Commission to account for a change in government
• requiring a returning officer to provide, upon request by a candidate, candidate’s representative or registered party, an electronic record identifying every elector who, the previous day, had been crossed off the list of electors as having voted or declined to vote, or been added
• clarifying that the Register of Electors may be used by a registered party, member of a registered party, registered candidate or member of the House of Assembly for the purpose of communicating with the electors, including the soliciting of contributions, campaigning and recruiting party members.

Quick Facts:

• Elections Nova Scotia, headed by the Chief Electoral Officer, is an independent, non-partisan agency responsible for administering the Elections Act

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-65-session-1

Chief Electoral Officer’s recommendations: https://www.electionsnovascotia.ca/files/GeneralElection_42nd/Volume2_Recommendations_September2025_FINAL.pdf

Elections Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/elections.pdf

House of Assembly Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/house%20of%20assembly.pdf