New Westminster Police Department is investigating irrespective of whether incumbent school board chair Gurveen Dhaliwal broke the Local Authorities Act on the initially day of progress voting | Photo: Contributed, New Westminster Document information
The chair of Community First New Westminster says the incumbent college board chair forgot about the procedures when she acted as a scrutineer on the 1st working day of advance voting.
New Westminster Police Office is investigating whether Gurveen Dhaliwal broke the Regional Governing administration Act on Oct. 5 by attending the Queensborough Community Centre voting station. Candidates ought to not be current at a voting position, except in purchase to vote. If charged and convicted, the highest penalty is a $5,000 great and a yr in jail.
In a prepared assertion, Cheryl Greenhalgh, chair of the NDP-aligned party, admitted that Dhaliwal was sworn-in as a scrutineer, but claimed that the issue had been dealt with and settled with the chief election officer, Jacque Killawee.
However, the scrutineer that witnessed Dhaliwal on-web page reported Killawee took no action and referred him to the New Westminster Law enforcement Section. Jason Chan, the New West Progressives campaign manager, filed a official complaint with law enforcement on Oct. 9.
“It was a lapse of memory on Gurveen’s aspect that she could not be a scrutineer on behalf of another candidate,” claimed Greenhalgh’s statement. “Her intention was to notice the approach in the voting spot to provide info to other scrutineers who ended up volunteering with the voting system that working day. She stayed at the voting site for a lot less than an hour and still left on her own accord.”
The Greenhalgh assertion denied that city council applicant Ruby Campbell was aware of Dhaliwal scrutineering on her behalf due to the fact scrutineer types are issued by the marketing campaign team to voting working day organizers.
“Gurveen deeply regrets this miscalculation,” said Greenhalgh’s assertion, which also said Group To start with New Westminster has reviewed its processes to make certain there is no repeat incident.
Neither Dhaliwal nor Campbell have responded for comment. Greenhalgh reported Dhaliwal is not out there for an job interview.
Dhaliwal appears to have voted although at Queensborough Local community Centre. She Tweeted a photo of herself putting on an “I voted” sticker at 1:09 p.m. on Oct. 5. “So proud to have voted for the @Local community1stNW crew!” she wrote.
Paul Minhas, a town council prospect with New West Progressives, explained it was not superior adequate for the social gathering chair to problem a statement. The voters should have to hear immediately from Dhaliwal and Campbell just before election day on Saturday.
Campbell, Minhas explained, need to also phase aside from the New Westminster Police Board or be eradicated by the Solicitor Typical, Mike Farnworth, through the investigation.
Chan said candidates were presented “extensive, comprehensive” handbooks on election principles and laws and this is not Dhaliwal’s initial municipal election. She won a seat on college board in 2018.
“It seems strange to me that the [chief election officer] has not considered it really serious adequate to action on it,” Chan explained.
In an Oct. 7 memo to candidates, Killawee explained it is the candidate’s duty to study the appropriate Acts and comply with legislation “as was famous in your nomination meeting.”
Killawee advised a reporter on Oct. 11 that she quickly contacted Dhaliwal’s get together, formal agent and Dhaliwal herself to remind them of the law and penalties, “and to instruct the candidate to chorus from further attendance at Metropolis of New Westminster voting sites, other than for the purpose of casting their vote.
“After session with our solicitor, no even more action has been taken by this office,” she mentioned.
A statement from New Westminster Law enforcement general public information officer Sgt. Justine Thom confirmed law enforcement are investigating.
“We acquired a contact from a member of the community relating to carry out of voting proceedings. Investigators are working to accumulate evidence and figure out if a violation of the Regional Authorities Act took position,” Thom claimed.
