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To obtain authorization to solicit or receive contributions, incur expenses or contract loans, political parties, party authorities, independent candidates, independent MNAs, electors undertaking to run as independent candidates, and private intervenors must comply with the conditions given in the law.
This page outlines how to apply for authorization as an independent candidate or private intervenor, for authorization of a political party or to reserve a party name. See also the Forms and guides page for the necessary documents.
A political party that wishes to solicit or collect contributions, incur expenses or contract loans must first obtain authorization from the Chief Electoral Officer. The approval process is not binding. It is not intended to monitor or evaluate the party’s platforms and policies.
A political party’s authorization remains valid as long as it pays its bills within six months of receipt, pays interest annually and files the information and returns required by the Election Act.
If a political party fails to meet its obligations under the Election Act, the Chief Electoral Officer may revoke its authorization.
An authorized political party that does not present a candidate in a general election or by-election may choose to act as a private intervenor. In that case, they must notify the Chief Electoral Officer.
To apply for a political party authorization, you must obtain the Application for authorization of a provincial political party form and the Signature of support from a member of the party – Application for the authorization of a provincial political party slips, which are used to collect signatures of support from your party members. Please contact us for more information.
You must complete this form with the following information:
A $500 deposit is required with the application for authorization. This deposit will be refunded when the party’s first financial report is filed, or when its closing financial report is filed.
An application for authorization of a political party must be accompanied by signature slips including the name, address, membership card number and expiry date, and signatures of electors who support the application and who are members of the party. The minimum number of signatures required is 100.
The information presented on an application for authorization and each signature slip will be carefully examined. To avoid a delay in processing your application, please make sure that the form and accompanying slips are properly completed and legible.
Before applying for authorization, a prospective political party may reserve a name in writing (PDF). This step is not essential to the application for authorization. However, many parties opt to do so.
Name reservation applications are valid for a maximum period of six months.
The party may change the name it reserved when applying for authorization.
Independent candidates must obtain authorization to solicit or receive contributions, incur election expenses or contract loans.
The Chief Electoral Officer may grant authorization to any elector who would like to run as an independent candidate under the following conditions:
The returning officer may also grant authorization during the election period.
Before the election period, an elector who wishes to become a candidate may apply for authorization by filling out the requisite form and sending it to the Chief Electoral Officer. Please contact us if you would like a copy of this form. Please note: this form is not a nomination paper. You must fill out a nomination paper when the time arrives and submit it to the person responsible.
During an election period, the returning officer of your electoral division can provide you with this form.
An independent candidate seeking authorization must provide the following information:
Independent candidates must also update their information in the Register of authorized political entities of Québec (RAPEQ).
Authorized independent candidates may:
They may not:
The official representative of the authorized independent candidate must also be their official agent. Both of these roles are of paramount importance in a candidate’s election campaign.
The role of the official representative is to:
The role of the official agent is to:
An authorization granted to an independent candidate who has not been elected expires on December 31 of the year following the election year.
An elected independent candidate’s authorization expires when they lose their seat as an independent Member of the National Assembly, unless they run again as an independent candidate.
A Member who becomes an independent without having been elected as such must obtain authorization from the Chief Electoral Officer to solicit or receive contributions, incur election expenses or contract loans.
A Member who wishes to obtain authorization as an independent Member must complete the requisite form and send it to the Chief Electoral Officer. Please contact us to receive a copy of this form.
A Member who becomes an independent and wishes to obtain authorization must provide the following information:
Once authorized, the Member who becomes independent and their official representative have the same rights and obligations as an independent candidate and their official representative regarding financing and election expenses.
A Member who becomes independent must make sure that the information concerning them is updated in the Register of authorized political entities of Québec.
The authorization of the Member who becomes independent expires when they lose their seat as an independent Member of the National Assembly, unless they run again as an independent candidate.
A private intervenor is an elector or group of electors who intend to incur publicity expenses during an election period to make their opinion known on a matter of public interest, to obtain support for such an opinion, or to advocate abstention or spoiling of ballots. Their interventions must not directly favour or disadvantage any candidate or party.
In order to obtain authorization as a private intervenor, the requisite form provided must first be completed and submitted. Please contact us if you would like a copy of this form.
In a provincial election, this form must be submitted to the returning officer for the electoral division in which the elector resides.
A private intervenor may be anyone who qualifies as an elector. It may also be a group that is not constituted into a legal person and is composed of physical persons—the majority of whom are qualified electors. The physical persons in such a group act together in pursuit of a common goal.
When a private intervenor is a group, its members must designate a representative from among the electors of the group.
A private intervenor cannot become a member of a political party during the election period.
To obtain authorization as a private intervenor, you must complete and submit the requisite form, which is available on our website under Forms and guides.
In a provincial election, this form must be sent to the returning officer for the electoral division in which the elector resides.
An authorized political party that does not present any candidates during a general or by-election and that would like to act as a private intervenor must notify the Chief Electoral Officer.
It is deemed to hold authorization as a private intervenor from the date of reception of the notice. An authorization number will be assigned to them.
This page outlines how to apply for authorization as an independent candidate or private intervenor, for authorization of a political party or to reserve a party name. See also the Forms and guides page for the necessary documents.
A political party that wishes to solicit or collect contributions, incur expenses or contract loans must obtain authorization from the Chief Electoral Officer if it operates in a municipality with a population of 5,000 people or more. The approval process is not binding. It is not intended to monitor or evaluate the party’s platforms and policies.
A political party’s authorization remains valid as long as it pays its bills within six months of receipt, pays interest annually and files the information and returns required by the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities.
If a political party fails to meet its obligations under the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities, the Chief Electoral Officer may revoke its authorization.
To apply for a political party authorization, you must first obtain the Application for authorization of a municipal political party form and the Signature of support from a member of the party - Application for authorization of a municipal political party slips, which are used to collect signatures of support from your party members. Please contact us for more information.
You must complete this form with the following information:
An application for authorization of a political party must be accompanied by signature slips including the name, address, membership card number and expiry date, and signatures of electors who support the application and who are members of the party. The party must provide:
The information presented on an application for authorization and each signature slip will be carefully examined. To avoid a delay in processing your application, please make sure that the form and accompanying slips are properly completed and legible.
The application process for the authorization of municipal political party varies from a few weeks to about a month.
Before applying for authorization, a prospective political party may reserve a name in writing (PDF). This step is not essential to the application for authorization.
Name reservation applications are valid for a maximum period of six months.
The party may change the name it reserved when applying for authorization.
The name of the political party must not contain the word independent and must not be likely to mislead electors as to which party they are supporting. Before choosing the name of the party, please consult the list of authorized municipal political parties and the list of reserved names.
An independent candidate who wants to run for office in a municipality with a population of 5,000 or more must obtain authorization to solicit or receive contributions, incur election expenses or contract loans.
The returning officer of the municipality will grant this authorization to any elector who undertakes to run as an independent candidate:
According to section 70 of the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities, the clerk or secretary-treasurer of the municipality shall act as returning officer. Please contact this person to obtain authorization.
The assistant returning officer who is authorized to receive nomination papers may also grant permission during the election period.
To apply for authorization, fill in the form provided (PDF). If you submit your request before submitting your nomination paper, you must attach a schedule (PDF), including the signature and address of the required number of electors supporting your request. You must forward it to the returning officer of your municipality. If you are your own official agent and official representative, you must indicate your name in section 3 of the form.
You can also apply for authorization when you submit your nomination paper by completing the appropriate section on the form.
The independent candidate must designate an official representative and update their information in the Register of authorized political entities. Independent candidates may appoint themselves as their official representative.
Authorized independent candidates may:
They may not:
The official representative of the authorized independent candidate must also be their official agent. Both of these roles are of paramount importance in a candidate’s election campaign.
The person in these roles is required to complete training on the rules regarding political financing and election expenses within 10 days of their appointment. This training is provided by Élections Québec.
The role of the official representative is to:
The role of the official representative is to:
The authorization granted to an independent candidate expires on December 31 of the second calendar year following the election year.
The authorization of an independent candidate who is elected and who, on that date, has not paid all the debts arising from his election expenses, expires the day of transmission of the financial report confirming that all debts have been paid.
A private intervenor is an elector or group of electors who intend to incur publicity expenses during an election period to make their opinion known on a matter of public interest, to obtain support for such an opinion, or to advocate abstention or spoiling of ballots. Their interventions must not directly favour or disadvantage any candidate or party.
To obtain authorization as a private intervenor, a form must be filled out and submitted to the municipality’s returning officer.
A private intervenor may be anyone who qualifies as an elector. It may also be a group that is not constituted into a legal person and is composed of physical persons—the majority of whom are qualified electors. The physical persons in such a group act together in pursuit of a common goal.
When a private intervenor is a group, its members must designate a representative from among the electors of the group.
A private intervenor cannot become a member of a political party during the election period.
An authorized political party that does not present any candidates during a general or by-election and that would like to act as a private intervenor must notify the municipality’s returning officer. It is deemed to hold authorization as a private intervenor from the date of reception of the notice. The municipality’s returning officer will assign them an authorization number.
Applicants and individuals must obtain authorization to perform certain activities.
A candidate in a school board election must obtain authorization from the Chief Electoral Officer to solicit or collect contributions, incur election expenses, or contract loans.
The returning officer of the school board may grant authorization to any elector who undertakes to run as a candidate. They may grant the authorization as of January 1 of the year in which a general election is to be held in that school board or, in the case of a by-election, as of the day the office becomes vacant. It may also be granted at any time during the election period up to polling day.
The Act respecting school elections to elect certain members of the boards of directors of English-language school service centres does not permit the formation of political parties. However, candidates with common interests may form a team recognized by the returning officer. To do so, the team must submit a written request for recognition to the returning officer within the prescribed time limit. The name of the team appears below the names of the candidates on the ballot, where applicable.
Candidates must provide the following information to obtain authorization.
The authorized candidate does not have to appoint an official representative or an official agent, as they may act in this capacity themselves during school elections. They must ensure that the information we hold about them is accurate and they must notify us of any changes.
Authorized candidates may:
They must:
A private intervenor is an elector or group of electors who intend to incur advertising expenses during an election period to make their opinion known on a matter of public interest, obtain support for such an opinion, or advocate abstention or cancellation of the vote. Their advertisements must not directly promote or oppose any candidate.
A person who is a qualified elector may be authorized as a private intervenor. A group of natural persons who are not incorporated may also obtain authorization as a private intervenor if the majority of its members are qualified electors.
When the private intervenor is a group, its members must designate a representative from among the electors of the group.
In order to obtain authorization, the private intervenor must complete and submit the form provided for this purpose. It is available on the Forms and guides page of our website.
During an election period, from the 44th day until the 20th day preceding the poll, the private intervenor must submit his completed form to the returning officer of the school board.
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