Election of the National Chief
In accordance with AFN Resolution 24/2023, Appointment of a Chief Electoral Officer and the Timing of the Election of the National Chief, Ron Laufer was appointed as the Chief Electoral Officer for the election of the National Chief through an Executive Committee motion passed on September 25, 2023. Ron brings over 20 years of elections experience to the role, including the previous AFN virtual election in 2021.
The Special Chiefs Assembly and Election of the National Chief will be conducted in a hybrid format at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, from December 5-7, 2023. With the election fast approaching, below is the contact information for the Chief Electoral Office, as well as information on key dates, nominations, and other issues of importance.
Electoral Responsibilities
The Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for rules outlined in Appendix “A” 1990 of the AFN Charter. These include:
- devising nomination forms and receiving nominations of candidates for the Office of National Chief;
- mailing the names and brief particulars of the candidates to the Chiefs (using the official list of Chiefs at the National Office) at least four (4) weeks before the election;
- receiving an accounting from all candidates of all moneys raised and spent for their campaigns including the names of contributors;
- reviewing the accounts disclosed by each candidate and ensuring that spending limits are applied fairly and evenly to all candidates;
- arrangements for the All-Candidates Open Forum on the evening prior to the election (and presiding thereat);
- informing the All-Candidates Open Forum of the preliminary financial record of each candidate including the names of contributors;
- devising and making all administrative arrangements in connection with the election at the General Assembly including the destruction of the ballots upon a resolution of the Assembly;
- counting of the ballots (after voting has occurred) in the presence of one (1) observer each appointed by the candidates and of at least one (1) security officer;
- announcing the results of the ballot to the General Assembly; and
- submitting a written report on the election including details of results, to the Executive Committee within two (2) weeks after the election.
Key Dates
Chief Electoral Officer will assume their duties on October 10, 2023, and relinquish their duties on December 21, 2023.
October 11, 2023 Nomination(s) commence eight (8) weeks prior to the Election
November 1, 2023 Nomination(s) conclude at 11:59 PM EDT five (5) weeks prior to the Election
December 6, 2023 Election for the Office of National Chief will be held at the Shaw Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, during the December 2023 Special Chiefs Assembly in a hybrid format.
Future Announcements
Future notifications, announcements, and specific election details (e.g., electronic voting, candidate profiles) will be released after the November 1st nomination closing date, once all of the nominations received are in proper form.
Nomination Packages
For eligibility criteria to become a Candidate for National Chief in the 2023 AFN Election, please refer to Appendix A (1990) of the AFN Charter.
Candidate Nomination Packages are available upon request. Individuals interested in becoming a Candidate for National Chief are invited to contact the Chief Electoral Officer with questions or to request a Candidate Nomination Package:
Ron Laufer
Chief Electoral Officer
Assembly of First Nations
55 Metcalfe Street, 16th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1P 6L5
Toll-free: 1-833-236-8683
Email: [email protected]