Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee
2022-2026 Municipal Election Joint Compliance Audit Committee
Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, candidates, registered third-party advertisers, and contributors are bound by specific election campaign finance rules. Candidates and registered third-party advertisers must file financial statements with the Clerk outlining their campaign finance activities.
Any eligible elector who believes, on reasonable grounds, that a candidate or registered third-party advertiser has broken one of the election finance rules set out in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, may submit an application for a compliance audit.
Please note that compliance audit applications with respect to the 2022 Municipal Election are not being accepted at this time.
Committee mandate
The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires that municipalities establish a committee to hear applications for compliance audits of the election campaign finances of candidates and registered third-party advertisers.
The 2022-2026 Municipal Election Joint Compliance Audit Committee will:
- Consider applications for a compliance audit of the campaign finances of a candidate for municipal council or a registered third-party advertiser resulting from the regular municipal election or any by-election held during the term of office for the Council for which the Committee was appointed;
- Appoint an auditor, if the Committee decides to grant a compliance audit;
- Review the auditor’s report and if the report concludes that the candidate or registered third-party advertiser appears to have contravened the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, decide whether legal proceedings should be commenced against the candidate or registered third-party advertiser; and
- Receive and consider report(s) from the Clerk identifying contributors who appear to have contravened any of the contribution limits set out in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, and decide whether to commence a legal proceeding against a contributor for an apparent contravention.
The Committee will serve the following municipalities and boards:
- County of Prince Edward
- City of Quinte West
- City of Belleville
- Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, and
- Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board
Committee members
Council appoints all members of the 2022-2026 Election Compliance Audit Committee. The members of the Joint Compliance Audit Committee are:
- Louise Grosjean
- Cheryl J. Vandervoort
- Chris Salt
- Robert J. Ord
- Wayne B. Tod
- Ron Colucci
Meetings
The Election Compliance Audit Committee shall meet as needed with meetings to be scheduled by the Clerk, when a compliance audit application is received. The meeting, agenda, and minutes will be available to the public on the municipal website. Members of the public may participate electronically as requested, in accordance with the Procedural By-Law.
If you have any questions about the Election Compliance Audit Committee, contact the Clerk’s Office at clerks@pecounty.on.ca or call 613.476.2148 ext. 1020.
Audit process
An elector who is entitled to vote in an election and believes, on reasonable grounds, that a Candidate and/or Registered Third Party has contravened a provision of the Act relating to election campaign finances is required to complete the application for Election Compliance Audit providing reasons and supporting documentation.
The Application for a compliance audit for a Candidate and/or Registered Third Party and any supporting documentation must be filed with the Clerk.
Within 30 days after receiving the application, the Joint Compliance Audit Committee will consider the application and determine if an audit is required or if the application is rejected.
If the Committee grants the audit, the Committee appoints a licensed auditor to conduct a compliance audit of the candidate’s or registered third party advertiser election campaign finances. The auditor will conduct the audit to determine if the candidate or registered third party advertiser has complied with the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act with regard to election campaign finances.
The auditor will provide a report to the Clerk, the candidate or registered third party advertiser and the applicant.
The committee will consider the report within 30 days of receiving it and determines whether legal proceedings should be commenced against the candidate or registered third party advertiser.