Poffenroth Answers Questions On Pandemic Election Costs

With the potential of a provincial election call, Chief Electoral Officer Kim Poffenroth answered questions Tuesday from members of the Procedure, Privileges and Legislative Officers Committee.

A pandemic election would include workers responsible for cleaning high-contact areas in polling stations.

Liberal MLA Jean-Claude D’Amours asked Poffenroth about her meetings with chief medical health officer Dr. Jennifer Russell.

Poffenroth said she’s dealing with Russell’s staff, who had minor adjustments to Election New Brunswick’s plans.

She said questions remain on who needs to review the safety plans.

“Whether or not our pandemic procedures we have created for our returning officers whether they should be reviewed by the chief medical officer of health, her office or WorkSafeNB. I am still waiting for a response back from Public Safety on that,” Poffenroth said.

Liberal MLA Robert McKee asked Poffenroth how she will deal with people who refuse to wear a mask in a polling station.

Poffenroth prefaced her reply by saying she would be honest and blunt, acknowledging it may not be the right thing to do.

“One’s right to vote is the most basic democratic right. It’s number three on the Charter of Rights.
We are going to request that people wear masks when social distancing can’t be maintained for their protection and the protection of those around them. I am not going to instruct an election officer to turn someone away from voting because they are not wearing a mask. I don’t believe I have the authority constitutionally to do that,” Poffenroth said.

McKee called a potential election call during the pandemic “irresponsible.”

People’s Alliance MLA Michelle Conroy asked Poffrenroth about the use of scrutineers with call-in or mail-in voting.

Poffenroth said they would not be required.

“For the telephone voting process that would replace additional polls at treatment centres such as nursing homes, special care homes and whatnot. Scrutineers would not be present for that because it involves the telephone process at our office,” Poffenroth said.

As for breaking in new technology, Poffenroth says they’d prefer to test pilot projects like telephone voting in a byelection scenario not in a general election.