Elections N.B. warned Higgs his early election speculation was costing money

The head of Elections New Brunswick says her office was in contact with Premier Blaine Higgs's staff last fall, warning that money was being spent based on Higgs's musings about an early election call.

Chief electoral officer Kimberly Poffenroth appeared before the legislature's committee on procedure, privileges and legislative officers Thursday.

The appearance followed a letter she wrote to the committee in January explaining her office spent $1.7 million on preparations for an election that Higgs never called.

Higgs opened the door to a snap election call last September and did not rule out the possibility until Nov. 3.

"We were ready to pull the trigger. I've got to say that," Higgs said in November. "We were. It wasn't an idle discussion here. It was real."

Poffenroth referred to a photo of a Higgs election bus last fall as proof that the premier was serious about a possible election call. (Submitted by Charles Doucet)

Poffenroth said in her letter that it's her job to be ready to hold an election, "no matter when it is called."

In response to a question from Liberal committee member Marco LeBlanc on Thursday, Poffenroth said her office did let the premier's staff know preparations were being made.

"We are spending money, we're getting questions, if there's any insight one way or the other, please let us know," she told the committee.

Poffenrorth said she received no information from the Premier's Office definitive enough to halt the preparations.

The only message she received was "continue with your work, continue with your preparations," Poffenroth said.

Preparations started 'in earnest" by September

Poffenroth wrote in January that Elections New Brunswick spent $1,750,808 on expenses such as polling station rentals, returning office rentals, phone and Internet connections and training for returning officers. That money will have to be spent again when the election is held.

Another $1.5 million was spent on equipment such as tabulation machines and laptops, which can be used this year.

Poffenroth called Higgs's first comment in June about the possibility of an early election "a very off the cuff comment," adding that she wasn't that concerned at that point.

She said the possibility "really started in earnest" by late September. She said there's no specific threshold for her to start preparations, but told the committee she listens to chatter from political circles and uses her best judgment.

Liberal Marco LeBlanc asked Poffenroth about the communication between her office and the premier's as Elections New Brunswick prepared for a possible early election. (Sam Farley/CBC)

Poffenroth moved training for returning officers — which covers everything from accepting nomination papers to selecting polling station locations — from spring of 2024 to October.

Elections New Brunswick also scrambled to hire enough returning officers. Of the 49 electoral districts, Poffenroth said by the hiring deadline of Sept. 15, there were still seven without a returning officer.

Higgs speculated in September about calling an early election and didn't end the speculation until early November. (Ed Hunter/CBC)

She said preparing for the possible election meant Elections New Brunswick had to postpone work on its strategic plan and longer-term projects like new virtual databases for both poll workers and MLAs.

Poffenroth and her staff were able to stop the preparatory work when she ultimately reached a point she "had come to the conclusion, at least in my opinion, it wasn't going to happen before Christmas."

'A cost that probably didn't have to be there' 

Progressive Conservative MLAs on the committee acknowledged the difficult position Poffenroth was caught in.

"I think you were caught in a place that you had to prepare for, it's your job, and I appreciate that you were ready," said Jeff Carr.

Progressive Conservative MLA Jeff Carr agreed Poffenroth was put in a difficult position. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

"It came with a cost, unfortunately. A cost that probably didn't have to be there … but you had to prepare for that."

Speaking to reporters, LeBlanc said he hopes a "better decision" will be made regarding any future election speculation.

Green Leader David Coon called Poffenroth's preparations the right decision, "under the circumstances."

Green Leader David Coon said he wants to see legislation that requires advanced warning for any early elections to ensure Elections New Brunswick has enough time to prepare. (Sam Farley/CBC)

He called for legislation requiring a warning before an election call to allow Elections New Brunswick the time to be properly prepared.

The next provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 21, though nothing prevents Higgs from calling it before then.

But because of all the preparation done in the fall, Poffenroth told the committee "it will be an unusually calm summer for the summer before an election because we've pretty much got everything done."