We won’t have Trevor Taylor to kick around any more

Triv is out of cabinet, and come Friday, October 9*, will be out of the Bow-Wow Parliament altogether.

As per amendments brought in by Danny Williams-Government, who dramatically shortened the maximum duration of a vacancy in the House from three months to, well, two months, the by-election in Straits and White Bay North must be called on or before December 8, 2009.

Another “piece” of DW-G’s electoral reform was the shortening of the by-election campaign period. The minimum of 21 “clear days” is still in place, but Bill 40 in 2004 also instituted a maximum of 30 “clear days”. “Clear days” means the number of days between, but not including, the calling and holding of the by-election.

If the by-election were called today, it could be held on any date between October 23rd and 31st inclusive, although the only traditional Tuesday polling date available would be the 27th.

If Hizonner in Council waits as long as possible to call the by-election (December 8), and goes for the maximum campaign (30 “clear days”), the by-election could be held, at the latest, on January 8, 2010. If the by-election is not to impinge on the Christmas period, it will have to be called much sooner rather than much later, and sooner still if the new MHA is to take his or her seat in time for the abbreviated fall sitting.

The fall series, of late, has been starting in late November, and ending in early December.

And then there’s that one, final wrinkle in the package of electoral reforms brought in by DW-G. In 2007, the Elections Act was amended by changing the provisions around special ballots. As per s. 86 (4), an elector can apply for a special ballot “not more than four weeks” before the election or by-election is even called. Good burghers of the Petit Nord, contact Elections Dannystan and vote today!

PS: the electoral district of Straits and White Bay North includes a lovely rural community called Flowers Cove.

* The dates in this posting have been re-calculated on the basis of Triv's end date as MHA: October 9th, not the 2nd as originally reported.