Voters will soon head to the polls in the 2022 general local election, and residents have a number of options on how and when to cast their ballots.
General voting day is set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 15, but advance polling dates may differ slightly between communities. More information on voting dates and locations can be found at the end of this article.
Each community will be able to choose from candidates running for mayor, council, school board trustee and regional district director.
That said, if there is no competition, a candidate will win the election by acclamation such as Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick and Invermere Mayor Al Miller.
Elections BC officials said you can complete voter registration or update your information at a polling location.
In order to register, you will need to provide your name, birth date, address and one of the following:
- B.C. driver’s license number
- B.C. Identification Card number
- the last six digits of your Social Insurance Number
- the last six digits of your Personal Health Number
B.C. government officials have outlined some criteria for you to be eligible to vote, as well:
- You must be 18 years or older when you go to vote at advance polling or general voting day.
- You must be a Canadian citizen.
- You must have been a B.C. resident for at least six months prior to registering.
- You must be a resident of the municipality or electoral area when you register.
- You cannot vote if you have otherwise been disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment or be otherwise disqualified by law.
Additionally, non-resident property owners can vote once in each jurisdiction they own property, as long as they meet the above criteria.
Only one person is eligible to vote as a non-resident property owner if the property is owned by multiple people.
Students attending classes in a different jurisdiction may only cast one ballot. They can choose to vote in the community where they attend school or their home jurisdiction.
Eligible voters can also vote by mail, with a package either sent out or available for pick up at a local election office.
Elections BC officials said a completed mail-in ballot form must be returned to the district electoral office by 8 p.m. on general voting day. Details on how to apply for a mail-in voter package in each community can be found further down in this article.
Voter information:
- Canal Flats:
- Mayor:
- Village Council (four will be elected):
- Denis Babin
- Anora Kobza
- Bill Lake (Incumbent)
- Cody McKersie
- Jennifer Noble
- Patricia Reed
- Justin Stanbury
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 13) – Columbia Discovery Centre (8866 Grainger Road)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Columbia Discovery Centre (8866 Grainger Road)
- Cranbrook:
- Mayor:Â
- City Council (six will be elected):
- Norma Blissett (I)
- Wesly Graham (I)
- Mike Peabody (I)
- Ron Popoff (I)
- Wayne Stetski
- Lynnette Wray
- Jeremy Youngward
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 12) – Parkview Pavilion Senior Centre (125 17th Avenue South)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Laurie Middle School (1808 2nd Street South)
- Mail-in voting – found at city hall or by emailing [email protected].
- Elkford:
- Mayor:
- District Council (six will be elected):
- Shawna Bryant
- Len Gostick (I)
- Tathlina Lovlin
- Duncan McDonald (I)
- Paul McGinnis
- Jason D Meldrum
- Bert Schalekamp
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 11) – Elkford Municipal Office (744 Fording Drive)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Elkford Community Conference Centre (750 Fording Drive)
- Mail-in voting – found at the district office or by emailing [email protected].
- Fernie
- Mayor:
- Nic Milligan
- Ange Qualizz (I)
- City Council (six will be elected):
- Tracey Audia Kelly
- Patrick Burke
- Blaine Fabi
- Spencer Gough
- Kyle Hamilton (I)
- Bob Langfield
- Jonathan MacGregor
- Kevin McIsaac (I)
- April Montague
- Jesse Mould
- Troy Nixon (I)
- Harsh Ramadass
- Ted Shoesmith
- Zuzana Simpson
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 12) – Fernie Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre (562 – 3rd Avenue)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Fernie Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre (562 – 3rd Avenue)
- Mail-in voting – found at City Hall or by emailing [email protected].
- Mayor:
- Invermere
- Mayor:
- Al Miller (I) – won by acclamation
- District Council (four will be elected) – all candidates won by acclamation
- Kayja Becker (I)
- Gerry Taft (I)
- Mark Topliff
- Theresa Wood
- No election will not be held, as all candidates won by acclamation.
- Mayor:
- Kimberley
- Mayor:
- Don McCormick (I) – won by acclamation
- City Council (six will be elected)
- Sue Cairns
- Kevin Dunnebacke
- Craig Janzen
- Woody Maguire
- Jason McBain (I)
- Sandra Roberts (I)
- Steven Royer
- Andrew Skaien
- Referendum Question:
- Borrowing up to $35-million to build a new wastewater treatment facility. Money will be paid back with interest over 30 years if approved.
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 12) – Centennial Hall (100 4th Avenue)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) –Â McKim Middle School (689 Rotary Drive)
- Mail-in voting – found at City Hall by emailing [email protected] or here.
- Mayor:
- Radium Hot Springs
- Mayor:
- Village Council (four will be elected)
- Bob Campbell
- Carey Collin
- Christi Ferguson-Huston
- Erin Palashniuk
- Dale Shudra (I)
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5) – Municipal office (4836 Radium Blvd.)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Municipal office (4836 Radium Blvd.)
- Mail-in voting – found here.
- Sparwood
- Mayor:
- District Council (six will be elected):
- Sam Atwal
- John D Baher (I)
- Amy E Cardozo (I)
- Jason Christensen (I)
- Steven Kallies
- Ralph L Lovatt
- Chris K Nand
- Sonny G Saad (I)
- Rose Sharma
- Referendum questions:
- Borrowing up to $3-million to renovate Fire Hall #2. Money will be paid back with interest over 30 years if approved.
- Borrowing up to $15-million for a new multi-purpose facility.
- Polling Locations
- Advance polling (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 & 11) – Sparwood Seniors Drop-In Centre (101-4th Avenue)
- General Voting Day – (8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Oct. 15) – Henry Volkmann Memorial Complex – Leisure Centre (367 Pine Ave.)
- Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK)
- Elections will not be held for areas B, C, D and F as all candidates won by acclamation.
- Advance polling will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 and 13.
- Area A:
- Director:
- Hungry Baytaluke
- Thomas McDonald
- Lee-Anne Walker
- Polling Locations:
- Advance polling
- Hosmer Community Hall (7431 6 Ave.)
- General Voting Day
- Hosmer Community Hall (7431 6 Ave.)
- Best Western Fernie Mountain Lodge (1622 7 Ave.)
- Causeway Bay Hotel (102A Red Cedar Dr., Sparwood)
- Advance polling
- Director:
- Area E
- Director:
- Nowell Berg
- Jane Walter
- Polling Locations:
- Advance polling
- Wasa Community Hall (6145 Wasa School Rd.)
- General Voting Day
- Wasa Community Hall (6145 Wasa School Rd.)
- Kimberley Arts at Centre 64 (64 Deer Park Ave.)
- Advance polling
- Director:
- Area G
- Director:
- Roberta Schnider
- Stephanie Stevens
- Polling Locations:
- Advance polling
- Best Western Plus Prestige Inn Radium Hot Springs (7493 Main St. W.)
- General Voting Day
- Best Western Plus Prestige Inn Radium Hot Springs (7493 Main St. W.)
- Edgewater Community Hall (4818 Selkirk Ave.)
- Wilmer Community Hall (9179 West Ave.)
- Advance polling
- Director:
- RDEK mail-in voting form