There’s a lot happening in our area leading up to Oct. 19, voting day on B.C.’s next term leadership. Here are the details on the candidates, local and the provincial leader’s debates, voter qualifications and options for casting your ballot.
Powell River – Sunshine Coast riding hopefuls
As of Sept. 24, there are four candidates seeking to become our area's Member of the Legislative Assembly (a seat vacated by the retirement of the NDP's Nicholas Simons), who have registered with Elections BC. Their names (in alphabetical order) are:
• Chris Hergesheimer, BC Green Party
• Chris Moore, Conservative Party of BC
• Randene Neill, BC NDP
• Greg Reid, Independent.
Nominations to become a candidate can be filed with district electoral officers until 1 p.m., Sept. 28.
All-candidate debates
Opportunities to hear from the candidates and to witness debates among them on issues of importance to our area, include the following:
Oct .1 (Tues) 6 to 8 p.m. at Elphinstone Secondary (Gibsons) at an event sponsored by the Sunshine Coast Labour Council. According to council email to Coast Reporter, Hergesheimer, Moore and Neill have confirmed their attendance.
Oct. 6 (Sun), 3 to 5 p.m. at the Roberts Creek Hall, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association is hosting an all-candidates meeting.
Oct. 8 (Tues) starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Pender Harbour Legion, hosted by the Pender Harbour and Area Residents Association (PHARA). In an email, PHARA vice president Suzanne Yuile indicated that doors will open at 4 p.m. and the evening's proceedings will be moderated by PHARA president Peter Robson.
That is also the same evening as the only televised debate for the party leaders vying for the premier’s chair: the NDP’s David Eby (encumbent), Sonia Furstenau of the BC Green Party and John Rustad of the BC Conservative Party. That debate is set to air on Global BC and Okanagan, BC1 and CKNW Radio, starting at 6:30pm. It is also slated to live streamed on Global BC’s website. Shachi Kurl from the Angus Reid Institute is scheduled to serve as moderator.
Oct. 9 (Wed), Gibsons’ Heritage Playhouse will be the site of the first of two all candidates forums co-hosted by the Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce and Coast Reporter. This session is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m., with doors open at 6 p.m. Event moderator will be Michael Gurney, Coast Reporter arts reporter and the host of Eastlink TV’s “Talk to your local government." This event is co-presented with the Gibsons Landing Heritage Society.
Oct. 11 (Fri) will see the candidates gather at Sechelt Senior Activity Centre for a debate from 7 to 8:30 p.m.; the second Chamber of Commerce/Coast Reporter-hosted event.
The debates on Oct. 9 and 11 will be live-streamed the public can register to attend (encouraged but not required) on the Facebook event page. Questions for the candidates can be posted to the website candidatequestions.ca. After moderation, the questions received will be subject to an online polling process with the top-voted questions going to the moderator to be asked during the live forums.
Qualifications and how to vote
Canadian citizens over 18 years of age as of Oct. 19 who have been residents of B.C. April 18 are eligible to vote.
Voters must prove their identity and residential address, by showing either their B.C. driver’s licence, BC Identification Card, BC Services Card (with photo) or other card issued by the Government of B.C. or Canada that shows their name, photo and address or their certificate of Indian status. A listing of other identification that can be used is listed on the Elections BC website.
Advance voting will take place locally 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.:
• Oct 10 and 11 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Gibsons
• Oct.12, 13, 15 and 16 at Seaside Centre in Sechelt
• Oct. 15 and 16 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Madeira Park.
Polling places on Oct. 19 will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations:
• Royal Canadian Legion, Madeira Park
• Halfmoon Bay Elementary School • Holy Family Church Hall in West Sechelt
• Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre
• Roberts Creek/xwesam Community Hall
• Cedar Grove Elementary, Gibsons
• Royal Canadian Legion, Gibsons
• Langdale Elementary School.
Voting by mail is another option available to all voters. Requests for mail-in ballots can be made online, by phone by Oct. 13 or in-person at a district electoral office by Oct.19. To be counted, completed this type of ballot must be received by Elections BC by 8 p.m. on Oct. 19. Such ballots can be returned by mail using the postage paid envelope provided, or they can be dropped off at the district electoral office (Suite15 - 5755 Cowrie St, Sechelt), any advance or election day voting place or at participating Service BC locations.
