Furey steps down as electoral officer

Newfoundland and Labrador's chief electoral officer has resigned, just as his office is preparing a new voters' list for a fall general election.

Chuck Furey told CBC News that he is resigning to pursue opportunities in the private sector, and nothing untowardprompted his departure.

"People will dream up all kinds of bogeymen. The answer is very, very simple: I want to go back to the private sector," said Furey, who does not have a specific job lined up.

"I feel drawn to the private sector and I enjoy the private sector much more than the public sector. Very simple."

Furey, 53, a former Liberal cabinet minister, was appointed to run the electoral office in February 2006.

Furey submitted a letter to Speaker Harvey Hodder on Tuesday night, announcing he would be leaving the electoral office effective May 1.

Premier Danny Williams said Wednesday that the provincial government should be able to deal with Furey's departure.

"Mr. Furey steps down— he steps down, we find someone else," Williams told reporters.

Furey oversaw five byelections within the past two months. The general election is scheduled for Oct. 9.

Furey had been in the process of hiring staff to prepare a new voters' list.

Furey has spent much of his adult life in politics. He represented the provincial district of St. Barbe between 1985 and 2000, and held cabinet portfolios under former premiers Clyde Wells and Brian Tobin.