The Elections Act provides that nomination day shall be 2:00 p.m. on Monday, the 35th day before polling day. This provision allows for a 10-day nomination period. However, nominations are normally presented to returning officers during the weekdays, reducing the days for filing to seven days. A reduction in the nomination period would contribute to a shortened electoral event and allow for an earlier production of ballot requirements. In most cases potential candidates have already made up their minds if they are going to run well before the nominations open.
During the 1999 general election, 66 nomination papers were filed with 48, or 73 percent, being filed in the first week that nominations were accepted. Committee members have no objections to shortening the nomination period given that the persons who are interested in running for the Legislative Assembly should be aware of the four-year mandate of each Assembly.