The Corporate Office is responsible for conducting local government elections. In British Columbia, the Community Charter mandates that municipal elections for the Mayor and all Councillors be held every three years on the third Saturday in November.

In advance of Election Day, the Corporate Office advertises in the local newspaper, naming the candidates that are running and outlining how qualified citizens can vote.

When is the next election?

The next BC General Local Election for local governments will be Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 8 am to 8 pm.

Since 1990, general local elections for Mayors, Councillors, Regional District Electoral Area Directors, School Board Trustees and Island Trust Trustees have been held every three years in BC. General voting day is always the third Saturday in November.

Gibsons voters elect one Mayor, four Councillors and one School Trustee at the municipal election.

Do I qualify to vote?

You may vote in a BC local election as a resident elector if you:

• are a Canadian citizen
• are 18 years of age or more on general voting day
• have lived in BC for at least 6 months before you register to vote
• have lived in the Town of Gibsons for 30 days or more before you register to vote

I own property in Gibsons but do not live in Gibsons; can I vote?

As a non-resident property owner – you own property in one place but live in another – you have the right to vote both where you live and where you own property.

You may vote in a BC local election as a non-resident property elector if you:

• are not a resident in that community
• are a Canadian citizen
• are 18 years of age or more on general voting day
• have lived in BC for at least 6 months before you register to vote
• Non-resident property electors must submit a Non-Resident Property Elector Consent Form. If more than one person is registered on the property's land title, non-resident electors must also receive written consent from the majority of the registered owners, in addition to submitting a Non-Resident Property Elector Consent Form.

What do I need to know if I am interested in running for office?

Nomination Packages are available for pick-up from the Corporate Services Department during regular office hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Nomination Period commences at 9am on Tuesday October 4, 2011 and closes on Friday October 14, 2011 at 4pm.

A Candidate orientation session will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers located at Town Hall 474 South Fletcher Road, Gibsons, BC.

Term of Office

If you are elected to local office, you will be expected to serve a three-year term. This term will officially begin on the first Monday after the first day of December following the election.

Time Commitment

Please be aware that holding office can be time consuming. In addition to attending regular meetings – usually one evening per week for Town Council – you may be asked to sit on special committees, boards or commissions that also require significant time. You might consider talking to someone currently in local office to find out how much time you will be expected to commit.

Who May Run

You may run for local government office if you:

• are a Canadian citizen
• are at least 18 years old on election day
• have lived in BC for at least the last 6 months
• have not been disqualified from voting in a BC local election
• You do not have to live in the jurisdiction in which you are running for office.

Contact

Corporate Office
Tel 604.886.2274
Fax 604.886.9735
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Location and Mailing Address

474 South Fletcher Road
Box 340
Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0

Business Hours
8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays).