Nova Scotia moves to create fixed elections dates

HALIFAX -

Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative government introduced legislation Wednesday that will establish fixed dates for general elections for the first time in the province's history.

Amendments to the Elections Act will set July 15, 2025 as the date of the next general election.

Future elections will take place on the third Tuesday of July every four years.

The change means Nova Scotia will join the rest of the country in having a fixed-date election law.

"Nova Scotian voters need to have confidence in their electoral system," Premier Tim Houston said in a release.

"Having a fixed date will mean predictability, transparency and it will limit any perceived advantage by the government to control the timing of the next election. The changes we are proposing will also allow Elections Nova Scotia to better plan for future elections, which can result in significant cost savings."

The amendments also provide the chief electoral officer with the authority to choose an alternative date if the legislated election date conflicts with a civic or religious holiday or overlaps with a federal or municipal election.

The changes to the act will not affect the lieutenant-governor's constitutional authority to dissolve the legislature at any time on the advice of the premier or if there is a vote of non-confidence in the government.

"I am pleased with the introduction of fixed-date election legislation, I support the choice of date and I appreciate the flexibility to choose an alternate date if necessary," Richard Temporale, chief electoral officer, said in a release.

"This change will bring certainty to Elections Nova Scotia's planning and budgetary cycles and improve the efficiency of our election readiness efforts."

The province says having a predictable election date may create about $500,000 in operational savings for Elections Nova Scotia.

The decision to hold summer elections surprised some political observers.

"Summer is not considered election season in Canada," said Cape Breton University political science professor Tom Urbaniak. "Whenever we've had a summer election federally or provincially, it's been considered unusual and analysts have been concerned about voter turnout."

Opposition leaders support fixed election dates, but question the decision to hold future elections in the middle of the summer.

"There’s really not very many times in the calendar year where people are less engaged then the dead centre of July," said NDP leader Gary Burrill.

Nova Scotia Liberal leader Iain Rankin thinks Nova Scotia should have one in the fall, or even the spring, like most other provinces.

"We shouldn't stand out as having one in the summer which typically has the lowest turnout rate," Rankin said.

But Houston isn't concerned.

"Whatever date I pick, somebody complains about it," Houston said told CTV Atlantic on Thursday. "I'm not interested in those that complain for the sake of complaining. I'm most interested in the certainty that we're bringing to Nova Scotians. They know when the next election will be, that's what matters."

Even though fixed election dates have been proposed, Urbaniak says they aren't iron clad.

"There will be a loophole in the law," Urbaniak said. "It is theoretically possible that the premier could advise the lieutenant-governor to have the election earlier and it's not just a theoretical matter, because we've seen the very same thing happen with the prime minister and the governor general on two occasions since a federal fixed election date came into force."