McNeil rejects recommendation for fixed-election date, despite previous promise

HALIFAX- Changes introduced today to Nova Scotia’s Elections Act do not include a fixed election date, which was recommended by the province’s chief electoral officer.

Premier Stephen McNeil says the fixed-dates don’t work in other provinces, saying Alberta and P.E.I. called elections this week well in advance of when they were scheduled.

Nova Scotia is the only province that doesn’t have a fixed date.

Last year, McNeil came out of support of fixed-date elections, saying at the time that a debate was still needed on whether to have elections in the fall or spring.

The government is acting on several other amendments to the law suggested by the chief electoral officer, including the extension of advanced voting from two to seven days, and allowing voters to cast their ballots at any returning office or advanced voting location in the province.