The nomination period closed on Friday for the 2005 Local Government Elections, with a full slate of candidates running in all Sea to Sky communities. Most candidates lost no time in launching their campaigns, with just a four-week window until the election on Saturday, Nov. 19.
For Whistler, always a hotbed for politics, the 2005 elections are the biggest ever with 17 candidates for council, seven candidates for mayor and two school trustees who ran unchallenged for a total of 26 candidates.
The last time Whistler held a municipal election this size was in 1996 when Hugh O’Reilly first ran for mayor. That year there were six mayoral candidates, 15 candidates for council and three school trustees for a total of 24 names on the ballot.
Things are only slightly more subdued in Squamish this year where there are two candidates for mayor, 16 candidates for council, and five candidates for school trustee.
In Pemberton there are four candidates for mayor, six candidates for council and two candidates for school trustee.
Decisions, decisions.
Meet the candidates
Although there’s no law against voting for the candidate with the best road signs or name associations, there will be plenty of opportunities for voters to familiarize themselves with the candidates and where they stand on various issues.
For Whistler there are at least three All Candidates meetings planned. The major one, as in past years, is hosted by the Whistler Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Myrtle Philip Community School. If the teachers’ strike is still on the meeting will be moved to another venue.
The format is different this year. Each candidate will have three to five minutes to present their platforms, starting with the mayoral candidates, after which time there will be a "mix and mingle" period for people to speak to the candidates individually.
The Chamber of Commerce decided to do away with the traditional question and answer period because usually only a few of the candidates get questions from the floor and the organizers thought it was important to give candidates equal time on stage. The mix and mingle format also gives members of the audience a chance to talk and ask questions of any and all candidates.
The Chamber borrowed the idea from the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association, which is hosting an All Candidates event again this year on Thursday, Nov. 3 at Spruce Grove Field House. The time is still to be confirmed, but the format will be the same as last year. Members of the public will sit at tables around the room, and each candidate will be given a set amount of time to converse with each table.
This year the Whistler Arts Council is also hosting an All Candidates meeting. The date, time and venue are still to be confirmed, but the goal is to direct questions to the candidates on arts and culture in the community.
Several of the candidates will be hosting their own events during the campaign, from open house discussions, to sponsored parties, to group jogs.
Squamish
The Squamish Chamber of Commerce has set their All Candidates meeting for Monday, Nov. 7 at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre. It will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. with an introduction to each candidate, brief candidate speeches and a question and answer period mediated by Greg Gardner.
Pemberton
The Pemberton Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring an All Candidates meeting on Monday, Nov. 7 at the Pemberton Community Centre. The meeting will run from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., starting with an informal one-hour reception to meet the candidates. The formal part of the evening will get underway at 7:30 p.m. with candidates getting a set time to introduce themselves and their platforms. That will be followed by a structured question and answer period that will be mediated by Dr. Hugh Fisher.
The who, what, when, where and how of voting
Anyone can vote in the upcoming municipal elections who meet the following criteria:
• Voter must be a Canadian citizen;
• Voter must be 18 or older on voting day;
• Voter must have lived in B.C. for six months;
• Voter must have lived in the municipality, regional district or school district for 30 days or more;
• People who own property in Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton have the right to vote in these communities, as well in the communities where they live full time, providing they meet the above standards;
• When a residence is co-owned (e.g. a timeshare), the owners must designate one representative who will cast just one vote;
• You cannot vote if you do not meet the above qualifications, if you have been convicted of an indictable offence and are in custody, or have been found guilty of an election offence.
Registering to vote – You can register in advance at your municipal or regional district office, or at a voting place on election day, although some communities can choose to offer registration on voting days only. To register you will need to bring at least two pieces of identification to prove your citizenship and current address – such as B.C. Driver’s Licence, ICBC vehicle insurance documents, B.C. Identification Card, B.C. Care Card, citizenship Card, Property Tax Notice, Social Insurance Card, credit card or utility bill.
Non-resident property owners will need to obtain a Non-Resident Property Elector Certificate, with proof that you are the registered owner of a property, and a letter indicating you have the consent of co-owners.
Advance Voting – Advance voting is available in every jurisdiction on the Wednesday 10 days before the general voting day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as any other days set by the community.
For Whistler, advance voting will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 9 and Saturday, Nov. 12. The Wednesday advance vote is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Whistler Municipal Hall, 4325 Blackcomb Way and at West Vancouver Municipal Hall at 750-17 th Street. The Saturday advance vote is at Whistler Municipal Hall only from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For Pemberton, advance voting is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9 and Wednesday Nov. 16 at the Village of Pemberton offices.
There are four advance voting dates for Squamish at Municipal Hall on Second Avenue – Friday Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Election Day – Nov. 19
Voting venues for Whistler and Pemberton are dependent on settling of the teacher’s strike, but all will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Whistler’s voting places are Myrtle Philip Community School and Rockridge Secondary School in West Vancouver, while Pemberton’s vote is tentatively located at Signal Hill Elementary. The Squamish voting centre is at Brennan Park Recreation Centre Auditorium.
If you have not registered in advance, bring two pieces of identification with your name and address.
