Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Oct. 27th, 2020

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

There are two things. I don't know if they'd work as well at the federal level, but I think that simplifying the process, which we didn't have the option of doing under our legislation, such that people could either have a signature on file or provide ID so that they wouldn't have to sign the application would be one way.

We also probably would have in-office couriers, but I don't think that works in large federal districts. We have 49 districts in New Brunswick; federally there are only 10, so I just don't think that's scalable to a federal election.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Okay. Thank you very much.

I'm going to have to suspend for a short amount of time before we start back up with Mr. Doherty, for the five-minute rounds. We've lost connection, I think, on our webcast. While they get that resolved, we'll have just a short suspension. Hopefully, it's only a minute or two.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

The webcast problem has been resolved, so we're going to move forward.

We're going to start the meeting back at the second round with Mr. Doherty, for five minutes, please.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you to our guests today.

I do want to first apologize to my colleagues, as well as to the guests, for the technical difficulties we had on our end here.

Ms. Poffenroth, what was your voter turnout this year versus other years?

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

We actually had virtually identical voter turnout compared to 2018. I'm trying to remember now. I think 2018 voter turnout was 67.4%, and in 2020 it was 67.14%.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

And, Mr. Garrity, you're just undergoing yours right now.

I have a question for both of you. Did either of your premiers provide advanced notice to you or work with you or consult with you or your office prior to calling the election?

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

No.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Okay.

[Tim Garrity]

No, not here either.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Not there, okay.

I do really appreciate both of your speaking about the long-term care and the costs and challenges associated with the mail-in ballots. I know that in response to the questions we asked earlier of the Chief Electoral Officer, somehow because we're Conservative, my colleague across the way took offence, thinking there was going to be some conspiracy. However, you both keyed in on some key areas, both the long-term care challenges we have in ensuring that those ballots are filled in properly and, let's say, somebody working out of province who wants to vote.

There are questions I want to ask both of you. These questions pertain to both.

How many mail-in ballots were cast most recently in New Brunswick. I believe you said there were 13,000. Is that correct, Ms. Poffenroth?

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

Yes—

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

The 13,000.

Sorry, go ahead.

[Tim Garrity]

Sorry, Kim. Here in P.E.I., we just had 235 applications for the mail-in ballot process from the 4,200 electors. I'll let Kim speak to New Brunswick.

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

We had approximately 13,000, but that included over 7,000 mail-in ballots to long-term care facilities. In the interest of full disclosure, it's not a precise number because when our mail-in ballots are counted, they are counted with all other special voting opportunities. It was taken from returning officers going through their records. It's not an exact number, but it's accurate.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

How many would you say—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Mr. Doherty, I just paused your time. There is a problem with your mike. It may not have been selected. It's not connecting.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Can you hear me now?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

I can hear you, but the main thing is for the interpreters.

[The Clerk]

Mr. Doherty, if it's not an issue of it not being plugged in, it might be on your interface. You need to select your audio headset, and then it will go through the Zoom meeting itself.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Can you hear me now?

[The Clerk]

They tell me that's better, so that seems to have fixed part of it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ruby Sahota]

Mr. Doherty, I'll start your time again.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

I'm trying to remember where I was now.

Ms. Poffenroth, of those 13,000, you did mention there were some that would be spoiled or not eligible. How many of those would you say that were not—

[Kimberly Poffenroth]

I cannot tell you that because what I saw was just anecdotal, going into returning offices when they were being processed. They'd be included with all other spoiled ballots.