A byelection is scheduled for the Central Coast Regional District Area E with advance voting Aug. 14 and general voting Aug. 24.
Leslie Harestad and Zachary Taylor are on the ballot to replace director Jim Ward who vacated the position in the spring.
Thomas Tallio has been acting director since Ward's departure.
In its notice of the election, the CCRD confirmed the voting will take place at the CCRD office between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. both days.
The office is located at 626 Cliff Street, Bella Coola.
Registration of all electors for the election will take place at the time of voting.
Resident voters must be 18 years of age or older by Aug. 24, be a Canadian citizen, a resident of B.C. for at least six months before the time of voting, be a resident of electoral area # and not be disqualified under the Local Government Act to vote.
Non-resident property electors the same rules apply as those for resident voters, however, they must be a registered property own in the electoral area for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration for voting.
Additionally, if more than one person is registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-property elector.
To register, resident electors must produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). Picture identification is not necessary. The identification must prove both residency and identity.
To register, non-resident property electors must produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature) to prove identity, proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property, and, if there is more than one owner of the property, written consent from the other property owners.
Voters can request a mail ballot package by Thursday, Aug. 22 at the latest by submitting information to the Central Coast Regional District office by:
- mail (Box 186 Bella Coola, BC V0T 1C0),
- telephone (250-799-5291),
- fax (250-799-5750), or
- email to Janet Prestley, Chief Election Officer at jprestley@telus.net or Meg Schadt, Deputy Chief Election Officer at ea@ccrd.ca
The information that must be provided include:
- Full name,
- Residential address,
- Address of the property in relation to which you are voting (for non-resident property electors),
- Method of delivery of your mail ballot package:
- pick up at office and, if you wish, name of person you authorize to pick up package for you, OR
- regular letter mail through Canada Post to residential address, OR
- regular letter mail through Canada Post to an alternate address that you provide when requesting the ballot package, and
- to ensure you receive the correct registration application form in your package, you must indicate whether you are going to be registering as a resident or non-resident property elector.
To be counted, your mail ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer no later than 8 pm on General Voting Day - Saturday, August 24, 2024.
