Nomination packages for hopefuls in the 2018 municipal election will be available for pick up on Friday, July 27.
This year’s local government election will be on Saturday, Oct. 20, and will elect a mayor and six councillors, six electoral area directors (Bamfield, Beaufort, Long Beach, Sproat Lake, Beaver Creek and Cherry Creek) and seven school district trustees for a four-year term.
Nomination packages for all candidates will be available during regular office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays) at city hall (for mayor and councillor) or the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District office (for directors and trustees). Nomination packages are also available at the District of Tofino office and District of Ucluelet office for candidates living on the West Coast.
While candidates may declare their candidacy at any time, legislation requires that they document all expenses and contributions from the moment of their declaration.
The nomination period commences at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4 and closes at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14.
Nominations for mayor and councillor in the City of Port Alberni must be made by at least ten qualified nominators; electoral area directors/school trustee nominations require at least two qualified nominators.
To qualify to run for local government office or office of school trustee, a person at the time of nomination must:
• Be 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
• Be a Canadian Citizen;
• Have been a resident of BC for at least six months prior to the date of nomination;
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, School Act or any other enactment from being nominated for, elected to or holding the office, or otherwise disqualified by law.
Nominators must be qualified electors of the municipality, electoral area or trustee electoral area for which the person is nominated. In other words nominators must:
• Be 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
• Be a Canadian Citizen;
• Have been a resident of BC for at least six months
• Have been a resident of the municipality, electoral area, or trustee electoral area for at least 30 days
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, School Act or any other enactment from being nominated for, elected to or holding the office, or otherwise disqualified by law.
For more information about the election, see the city’s website at www.portalberni.ca or contact Davina Hartwell at 250-720-2810 or davina_hartwell@portalberni.ca.
Information is also available through the ACRD website at www.acrd.bc.ca, or contact Wendy Thomson at 250-720-2706 or wthomson@acrd.bc.ca.