ELECTIONS 2018

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In British Columbia, the General Local Government Elections are now held every four years.

The Village of Telkwa Council consists of 1 Mayor and 4 Councillors (total of 5).

Every citizen has a part to play in Local Government Elections. Every vote truly counts and the Village of Telkwa strongly encourages Voters to turn out on voting day and cast their ballot.

General Local Elections 101

Important Dates

Voting Opportunities

Advanced Voting

When: Wednesday, October 10, 2018, 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
What: Election for 1 Mayor, 4 Council members, and 1 School District Trustee
Where: Village of Telkwa Council Chambers, 1415 Hankin Avenue

General Voting Day

When: Saturday, October 20, 2018, 8:00 a.m. - 8 p.m.
What: Election for 1 Mayor, 4 Council members, and 1 School District Trustee
Where: Village of Telkwa Council Chambers, 1415 Hankin Avenue.

Mail Ballot Voting

Mail ballot voting will be available for:

Electors who have a physical disability, illness or injury that affects their ability to vote at another voting opportunity; or
Electors who expect to be absent from the Village of Telkwa on General Voting Day and at the time of the advanced voting opportunity.

If you are not already on the List of Electors, you will need to apply along with your application for a Mail Voting Ballot (either as a Resident Elector or Non-Resident Property Elector - if more than one person owns the property, the consent of the other property owner/s is required).

Application forms will be made available from September 17, 2018 to October 19, 2018.

Who Can Vote?

All Village of Telkwa residents who meet the eligibility criteria listed below can vote. People who own property in Telkwa but live outside Telkwa can also vote.
Landed immigrants who are not yet Canadian citizens are not permitted to vote in civic Elections.
No corporation is entitled to be registered as an elector or have a representative registered as an elector and no corporation is entitled to vote.
Only Village of Telkwa residents and non-resident property owners are eligible to vote in the Telkwa Election.

Voter's Guide to Local Elections in BC

Telkwa Resident Elector - Eligibility

To vote in a civic Election in Telkwa you must be at the time of voting:

At least 18 years of age on or before General Voting Day;
A Canadian citizen;
Have lived in B.C. for at least six months;
Have lived in the Village of Telkwa for at least 30 days; and
Not disqualified from voting by any statute or law.

Non-Resident Property Elector - Eligibility

If you own property in Telkwa but live somewhere else you can vote as long as you are:

At least 18 years of age on or before General Voting Day;
A Canadian citizen;
Have lived in B.C. for at least six months;
Have owned real property in the Village of Telkwa for at least 30 days;
Not eligible to vote as a Resident Elector in the Village of Telkwa;
Registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust;
Not disqualified from voting by any statute or law.

A qualifying non-resident property elector may register at the polls providing:

2 pieces of identification (one with residence address and one with your signature); and proof satisfactory to the official that the person applying is entitled to register in relation to the real property (e.g., current year's tax notice from the Village of Telkwa); and if applicable, providing written consent from the other registered property owner/s of the real property.
As a non-resident property elector, you can vote only once, regardless of the number of properties you own. If you have more than one registered owner of your property, only one of you (with the written consent of the majority of the other individuals) may vote.

Telkwa Elector - Registration

The Village of Telkwa uses the Provincial Voters' List; therefore, if you are registered on the Provincial List, you are registered on the Village of Telkwa's List. In any event, you can register at the polls by meeting the Elector criteria mentioned above, and provide two pieces of identification proving residency and identity and, in the case of non-resident property electors, proof of ownership. To get on the Provincial Voter's List or update your information contact Elections BC.

Acceptable Pieces of Identification

The following are deemed to be acceptable identification for the purposes of registering to vote at the Polls (one must contain your signature):

a British Columbia Driver's Licence;
a British Columbia Identification Card issued by the Motor Vehicle Branch;
an Owner's Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle Licence issued by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia;
a British Columbia CareCard or British Columbia Gold CareCard;
a Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form;
a Social Insurance Card issued by Human Resources Development Canada;
a Citizenship Card issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada;
a real property tax notice issued under section 237 of the Community Charter;
a credit card or debit card issued by a savings institution as defined in section 29 of the Interpretation Act; or
a utility bill issued for the supply of electricity, natural gas, water, telephone services or coaxial cable services.

Elector Disqualification

You are disqualified from voting if:

You have not completed a sentence for an indictable offence unless that person is released on probation or parole and is not in custody;
You have been involuntarily confined to a psychiatric or other institution as a result of being acquitted of or found not criminally responsible for an offence under the Criminal Code on account of a mental disorder; and/or
You have been found guilty of an Election-related offence.

Are You Registered to Vote?

You can vote in the municipal election if you are a qualified voter and live in the Village of Telkwa. Visit Elections BC to ensure that you are on the Provincial Voter's List. It only takes a few minutes to register online. You can also vote if you are a qualified non-resident property elector, which means that you live elsewhere in BC and own property in the Village.

Who Can Run for Council?

Serving your community can be a rewarding experience. There are many good reasons to run for office - you might run to be actively involved in the local decision-making process, contribute your experience and knowledge to the community, address issues or lead change in your community.

More information about running for office will be available in mid-August 2018.

A person is qualified to be nominated, elected, and to hold office as a member of local government if they meet the following criteria:

Canadian citizen
18 years of age or older on General Voting Day
Must be a resident of B.C. for at least 6 months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed
Are not disqualified by the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an Election in B.C. or from being nominated for, being elected to, or holding office

Thinking of Running for Local Office?

What Every Candidate Needs to Know

Elector Organization Guide

Foundational Principles of Responsible Conduct