Chief Electoral Officer

Ms. Shipra Verma, CPA, CA

Ms. Shipra Verma was appointed as Chief Electoral Officer of Manitoba in 2013 by the unanimous recommendation of the Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs. She joined Elections Manitoba in 2004 and gained electoral experience in all areas of the organization. In 2009, she was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and in 2010, she took on the additional role of Acting Chief Electoral Officer.

Ms. Verma has successfully led the conduct of the past three provincial general elections, as well as several byelections. She has also participated in international election observer programs in the U.S.A., Ukraine, Russia and India. Her vision of election modernization is driven by improving service to stakeholders and building connections with communities across the province.

A Chartered Professional Accountant with credentials in Canada, the United States and India, Ms. Verma has over 25 years of experience consisting of election administration, public accounting and professional services.

She is currently serving on the board of the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and as a lay councillor for the Council of Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba. She is active on the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL), serving on its steering committee from 2016 – 2019 and as President in 2018. She is currently Chair of the Canadian Society for Election Officials Training and a member of the steering committee of the Secretariat for Electoral Coordination.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER

The Chief Electoral Officer administers provincial elections to ensure they are fair and free of political influence as set out in The Elections Act and The Election Financing Act. Reporting to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, the CEO must be non-partisan and may not vote in an election.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (Elections Manitoba) must always be ready to conduct elections, byelections, and referenda. Elections Manitoba enables all qualified Manitobans to vote in provincial elections by:

promoting voting opportunities to all voters
educating voters about the electoral process
helping registered parties, candidates, official agents and financial officers comply with election legislation

A report on the conduct of each election and annual reports about Elections Manitoba's activities are made to the Legislative Assembly and may include recommendations for legislative changes.

The Commissioner of Elections is appointed by the Chief Electoral Officer in consultation with all political parties, and is responsible for prosecuting violations of election law.

CEO Responsibilities

ensuring fairness, impartiality and compliance with election law
promoting voting opportunities to all voters
educating voters about the electoral process
helping political parties, candidates, official agents and chief financial officers comply with election legislation
communicating with election officials, political parties, constituency associations, candidates, official agents and chief financial officers
publishing election results in the Statement of Votes

Some of these activities continue between general elections.

PAST CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICERS

Mr. Richard Balasko: Chief Electoral Officer, 1990-2010; Acting Chief Electoral Officer, 1989-1990

Mr. Richard Willis: Chief Electoral Officer, 1980-1989

Elections Manitoba

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