Elections

Local Government Elections

Last Election Held Saturday, November 19, 2011

In British Columbia, municipal elections are held every three years and are conducted according to the rules and regulations set out in the Local Government Act, which covers local government elections throughout B.C.

The Town of Ladysmith uses electronic voting machines to count ballots. You still mark a paper ballot by hand, but the vote counting is done electronically. Manual counts of each and every vote are no longer required, which means the vote tally can be calculated within minutes of the close of polls. The paper ballots are kept in case a recount, whether electronic or manual, is required.

For more detailed information, click on one of the topics below, or simply scroll down to read all the information.

Who can vote?
How do I register to vote?
Who can run for office?
Where can I learn more about Local Government?

Who can vote?

You can vote in the election as a Resident Elector if, on general voting day (third Saturday in November), you:

• are 18 years of age or more; and
• are a Canadian citizen; and
• have lived in British Columbia for at least six months before you register to vote; and
• have lived in the town of Ladysmith for 30 days or more; and
• are not disqualified from voting in an election, or otherwise disqualified by law.

You can vote as a Non-Resident Property Elector in the Town of Ladysmith if you are:

• age 18 or older; and
• a Canadian citizen; and
• a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; and
• a registered owner of real property in the Town of Ladysmith for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; and
• not entitled to register as a resident elector; and
• not disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or otherwise
• disqualified by law; and
• if there is more than one registered owner of the property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the other owners, register as a non-resident property elector

How do I register to vote?

If you are not sure if your name is on the current List of Electors (voters’ list), you can find out by calling or visiting City Hall at 410 Esplanade, Ladysmith B.C.; 250.245.6400. The office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). If your name is not on the List of Electors and you are a qualified voter, you can register at the voting place immediately before you vote.

To register to vote, you must bring at least two documents that provide evidence of your identity and your place of residence. At least one of the documents must contain your signature.

Types of acceptable documents include:

• BC Driver's Licence
• Bank Debit Card
• BC Care Card
• Telephone, hydro or cable bill
• Social Insurance Card
• Property Tax Notice
• Credit Card

For more information, click on the link for the BC Government Voters Guide [PDF 165KB]

Who can run for office?

You may run for any local government office if you:

• are a Canadian citizen;
• are at least 18 years old on election day;
• have lived in British Columbia for at least six months; and
• have not been disqualified from voting in this election.

You do not have to live or own property in the community where you are running for office.

You may not run for local government office if you:

• are a judge of the Provincial Court, Supreme Court or Court of Appeal;
• are an employee or salaried officer of that local government,
• unless you have taken a leave of absence to run for office and
• agree to resign if elected;
• are under sentence for an indictable offence and are in custody
• or in prison;
• have been found guilty of an elections offence, such as double
• voting or buying votes, and are prohibited from holding office; or
• have been disqualified from this election for failing to:
  • file a disclosure statement in a previous election;
  • make an oath of office; or
  • attend meetings.

Qualifications to run for Local Government Office

To qualify as a candidate for local government office, at the time of nomination a person must meet the following criteria:

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
• Canadian Citizen;
• Resident of BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed; and
• Not be disqualified by any enactment from voting in an election or be otherwise disqualified by law.

For more information about running for office, click on this link for a Local Elections Candidates Guide produced by the Province of BC -- BC Government Candidate Guide - [PDF 283KB]

Assistance with Voting and Curbside Voting

If a voter has difficulty reading or writing English, they may bring a translator to assist them in the voting process. The translator must complete a solemn declaration of assistance in order to provide translation assistance.

If you are unable to enter the voting place, you may ask to receive and mark your ballot at a place located outside the voting place (curbside voting). It will be necessary for you to bring someone with you who can advise the election officials that you need help outside the voting place.

If you need help with voting, you may ask the Chief Election Officer in charge at the voting place to assist you. You may also bring someone with you to the voting place to help you vote. This person must make a solemn declaration to preserve the secrecy of your ballot, to mark the ballot according to your wishes and to not attempt to influence how you vote.

Where can I learn more about Local Government?

For general information about municipal elections in British Columbia produced by the Provincial government, click to follow this link.