Elections New Brunswick

Who was the first Premier of New Brunswick after Confederation?

The Honourable A.R. Wetmore was New Brunswick’s first Premier following Confederation. He served from 1867 until 1870, representing the Confederation Party. With the Election of Honourable Brian Gallant in 2014, New Brunswick has had 33 Premiers since Confederation.

When was the secret ballot introduced?

The secret ballot vote was introduced in 1855.

Prior to the introduction of the secret ballot, how did people in New Brunswick vote?  

Until 1855, all voting in New Brunswick was done by voice and recorded in a poll book. This was essentially a paper bound notebook kept at each polling station by the poll clerk. After the last poll was run, the votes were tallied and announced on Declaration Day.

When did women gain the right to vote in New Brunswick?

In 1919, the term male person was struck from voter qualifications and replaced with the phrase "a person whether male or female, married or unmarried".

Who was the first woman to run for office in New Brunswick?

In 1934, women won the right to be elected to provincial office. The first woman to run was Frances Fish, in 1935.

Who was the first woman elected member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly? When?

The first woman to be elected to the Legislative Assembly was Brenda Robertson in 1967. The first woman to be elected to municipal office in New Brunswick was Edna Steel who was elected to Saint John City Council in 1948.

When was the age of voting lowered to 18?

The age of electors was dropped from 21 years to 18 years in 1971.

In what year was the requirement of owning land in order to qualify as a candidate removed from the Elections Act?  

The New Brunswick Elections Act of 1889 ended the requirement of ownership of real estate for candidates.

When was the first fixed date election held in New Brunswick?

The Bill introducing fixed date elections for provincial general elections was introduced in the New Brunswick Legislature in May, 2007.  The first fixed date election was held on September 27, 2010.  

How many days must you have lived in New Brunswick before you are eligible to vote in a Provincial or Municipal Election?

You must be “ordinarily resident” in the province 40 days before Election Day and be living in the electoral district or municipality where you intend to vote on Election Day.

What is required in order to have your name added to the voters list in New Brunswick?

You must produce 1 or more pieces of identification that between them show your name, current address and signature.

Can a student attending a post-secondary institution away from their family residence still vote in New Brunswick elections?  

Yes.  Students who meet all voting qualifications have the option to vote for a candidate in their home riding/municipality or they may chose to vote for a candidate running in the electoral district where they live while attending school.   They cannot vote for both.  

Who were the father and son who both served as Premier of New Brunswick?  

The Honourable James K Flemming, who served as Premier from 1911 to 1914 and his son  Hugh John Flemming who was Premier from 1952 to 1960.  Incidently his grandson, Hugh John "Ted" Flemming was elected a Member of the New Brunswick Legislature in 2012.

Who are the first twins to be elected members of the New Brunswick Legislature?

Jody Carr was elected as the MLA for Oromocto in June, 1999. His brother Jack Carr was elected in a byelection in New Maryland in November, 2008.