It’s time for those wanting to run for mayor, city councillor, Board of Education trustee or regional district director in the Central Okanagan to make it offcial.
The 10-day nomination period opened Monday following weeks of would-be candidates picking up nomination packages in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland and the Central Okanagan Regional District.
Between now and Sept. 14, anyone interested in running in the 2018 civic election has to make it official by filing nomination papers with the chief elections officer in the jurisdiction where they plan to run.
The nomination period will run until Sept. 14.
In Kelowna, nomination papers can be filed at the Office of the City Clerk at Kelowna City Hall. A nomination deposit of $100 is required at time of filing. The money will be returned when the candidate files his or her campaign financial disclosure following the Oct. 20 election.
Unlike the picking up of nomination packages, once nomination documents are accepted, they become public information. Several people who picked up papers in the last few weeks have declined to allow their names to be made public.
In addition Election B.C. will list the names of candidates once they receive them from the municipalities and regional districts. They will be listed here.
According Kelowna’s chief elections officer, candidates should not leave the filing of papers to the last minute.
“We recommend candidates make an appointment with us in advance of the deadline,” said Karen Needham. “We want to ensure no one is filing at the last minute in case their documents are incomplete.”
A candidate for Kelowna city council requires 10 nominators, while for a School District 23 Board of Education trustee candidate requires only two nominators. Nominators must be qualified electors in the City of Kelowna. In West Kelowna 25 nominators are required.
To run in the election in B.C., candidates must have lived in the province for the past six months, be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years or older on general voting day, Saturday, Oct. 20.
Individuals who have successfully filed nominations papers will be declared candidates following the close of the nomination period at 4 p.m. on Sept. 14.
The election will see a mayor and eight councillors elected to council for four-year terms and four school trustees representing the city on the Board of Education, also for four year terms.
To stay informed about the upcoming Kelowna election, including voter, candidate and general election information, visit kelowna.ca/election.
In Lake Country, election information is listed on the district’s website at here, in Peachland at peachland.ca/elections, in West Kelowna here and in the regional district here.
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