The New Brunswick government has committed to implementing several of the Commission on Electoral Reform‘s recommendations, however some depend on whether or not they are re-elected next year.
READ MORE: New Brunswick electoral commission recommends lowering voting age to 16
On the heels of a 23-recommendation report from the Commission on Electoral Reform earlier this month, the New Brunswick government has committed to implementing some changes immediately while others will have to wait.
Pushing back the election date from the fourth Monday in September to the third Monday in October won’t become reality in time for the 2018 election, however Premier Brian Gallant announced they intend to make the change for the following provincial vote in 2022.
This is a measure recommended to allow more young people to vote – new to the province students who had arrived less than 40 days before the election were ineligible. Under this new system, they can cast a ballot.
“We should do more as a government, a province and a society to increase the percentage of people voting,” Gallant said.
Other big ticket items, like the recommendation to lower the voting age to 16 and switching to preferential ballots instead of the current first-past-the-post system are now slated for a 2020 referendum coinciding with the next municipal election.
READ MORE: New Brunswick to lower limit on political party contributions
“We think that lowering the voting age to 16 deserves to be debated and discussed,” said Gallant at a press conference Thursday. “Giving it until 2020 for the referendum in the municipal election we believe is prudent and provides time to really ponder this as New Brunswickers.”
The province also announced they’ll introduce legislation to lower the political contribution limit from $6,000 to $3,000 right away, to come into effect ahead of the 2018 election.
It’s a move New Brunswick Green Party Leader David Coon said hurts smaller parties.
“As being younger parties, we’ve got a smaller donor base and so we can’t count on volume like the old parties can,” Coon explained.
The Official Opposition sent a statement following the announcement indicating anything slated to be implemented after the current term in office expires are campaign promises rather than government policy and they wouldn’t be addressing them at this time.