The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives Canadian citizens the right to vote in provincial and federal elections. Elections BC is the custodian of that right on behalf of B.C. voters. Elections BC is an independent and non-partisan Office of the Legislature. Elections BC is separate from the federal election administrator (Elections Canada) and from local elections administrators (local Chief Election Officers). Elections BC administers provincial general elections and by-elections, recall petitions, initiative petitions and initiative votes, the conduct of referenda and plebiscites, and local elections and assent voting campaign financing and advertising rules. B.C. was the first province in Canada to establish fixed election dates. Provincial general elections take place on the third Saturday in October every four years.