Yellowknife (Nov 08/04) - In his final report as NWT chief electoral officer, David Hamilton recommends that voter lists be kept out of the hands of sheriff's office officials.

The outgoing chief electoral officer told a legislative committee Thursday that he is worried voters will be less inclined to put their names on the voters list if they know that information could be handed over to the NWT sheriff's office for jury duty selection.

Chief electoral officer David Hamilton is offered the ceremonial coat by Speaker Paul Delorey, for three decades of service. He tabled his final report last Thursday. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

"With the exception of perhaps one, no other jurisdiction provides their voters list to a sheriff," said Hamilton.

"It's important and consistent that voters lists are only used for elections and not any other purposes."

It was one recommendation among many Hamilton handed down to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, including one he suggested earlier this year -- fixed election dates.

Currently, the territory is on a four-years-plus-30-days schedule that, if it were allowed to continue, would bring voters back to the polls for a general election on Dec. 8, 2007.

Hamilton said no one, including returning officers, voters and candidates, wants to have an election in December or January. He recommended elections be held every four years on the first Monday in October.

He doubts the date would please everybody, but said it's a tradition in the NWT to hold elections in the fall.

On the high number of acclamations during the last election -- five, including Premier Joe Handley's Weledeh constituency -- Hamilton said he sympathizes with voters who feel disenfranchised as a result, but there's little his office can do about it.

"That's the process," said Hamilton. "We allow it to happen and if no one else wanted to put their name forward, then that's the way it goes."

In addition, Hamilton said civic and school board elections ought to be handled by his office, as it would make the overall process more efficient.

Hamilton also touched on a pair of complaints his office investigated after last year's general election. His office spent nearly $30,000 investigating them, which raised the eyebrows of at least couple of MLAs on the committee.

"For me, if they're going to complain, (the issues have) to be very serious," said North Slave MLA Henry Zoe, adding that "something should be done to them" if the complaints turn out to be frivolous.

Despite the cost and the fact that most complaints are concluded quickly, Hamilton said his office is compelled to investigate.