Voting is set to open on Thursday for the B.C. Liberal leadership race, with party members choosing one of seven candidates.
According to the B.C. Liberal Party, voting opens on Feb. 3rd and runs until Saturday, Feb 5th.
Registration for the election is now closed, and only party members will be allowed to cast a ballot.
Local MLAs have thrown their support to their chosen candidates, each choosing a different person to back.
Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok stepped down from his role as caucus whip to give his backing to leadership candidate Kevin Falcon.
“We need a leader that has the knowledge, experience, and ability to unite us as a party while taking the right steps to win new supporters,” said Clovechok. “Kevin will fight for rural BC — ensuring rural communities have strong economies and proper representation in the legislature.”
Meanwhile, Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka announced his support to Ellis Ross in his bid for party leader.
“He’s a grassroots ground-level guy and he understands real people. We have no bad candidates going on in the BC Liberal campaign going on right now, but Ellis is original, he’s authentic,” said Shypitka. “I think his genuineness and his authenticity will reflect the people that he listens to every day.”
The other five candidates include Gavin Dew, Michael Lee, Val Litwin, Renee Merrifield and Stan Sipos.
B.C. Liberal officials said each of the province’s electoral districts will be given equal weight in the balloting. The first candidate to receive over 50 of the 100 points will be declared the winner.
More: Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA steps down as party whip (Dec. 2, 2021)
More: Kootenay East MLA gives endorsement to BC Liberal leadership candidate (Nov 8, 2021)
More: B.C. Liberal Party website