Details

WHEREAS upon the withdrawal, death or incapacity of a duly nominated candidate in a local government election, the Local Government Act does not effectively enable the Chief Elections Officer to formally notify voters of withdrawal, death or incapacity of such candidate;

AND WHEREAS under the current provisions of the Local Government Act, such candidate in a local government election could conceivably receive a sufficient number of valid votes to be declared elected, thereby necessitating a by-election:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Central Local Government Association, though the Union of BC Municipalities petition the Province of BC to amend Section 80(1) of the Local Government Act to enable the Chief Elections Officer to post a prescribed notice inside each polling booth, or otherwise inform voters at a local government election of the withdrawal, death or incapacity of a candidate;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any votes cast for that candidate would not be counted.  

Responses

The UBCM membership has not previously considered a resolution requesting that the Province amend the Local Government Act to enable the Chief Elections Officer to post a prescribed notice or otherwise inform voters during a local government election of the withdrawal, death or incapacity of a candidate; nor have members considered a request to exempt votes cast for such a candidate from being counted.