The Manitoba government has introduced two pieces of legislation set to reform the provinces election process.
Bill 26, the Election Financing Amendment Act will make changes to the amount of money individuals can donate. Currently set at $3000.00 that amount will raise to $5000.00 and it will be indexed to the inflation rate.
The legislation would introduce new limits on third-party spending for recognized election communications, $25,000 during the election period and $100,000 during the 90-day period before a fixed-date election begins. Currently there is no limit to pre-election spending and a cap of $5000.00 during an election period for third-party spending.
Bill 27 , the Election Amendment Act would create a permanent and regularly updated database of eligible voters for all future provincial elections. The database will be created from the final voters list from the 2016 general election and it will be updated from federal, provincial and municipal sources as well as directly from voters.
As part of the legislation voters will be required to provide identification with current address information at the polling station in order to cast a ballot. Voters without proper ID but listed on the voters list may still be able to vote if someone from their electoral division with proper identification vouches for them. This is similar to how federal and City of Winnipeg elections currently work.
The legislation would also require schools to have an in-service day so that children are not around when hundreds of strangers enter schools to vote.
-News4 Staff-
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