Province will not grant Peachland's request to waive byelection

Byelection will go ahead

Photo: District of Peachland

Byelection to fill Keith Thom's Peachland council seat will go ahead

The District of Peachland is moving ahead with plans to hold a byelection to fill Keith Thom’s vacant seat on council March 14.

Thom, in the midst of his second term on council, passed away in November.

Due to the proximity to the October general election and the cost associated with holding a byelection, Peachland wrote the province asking it waive the requirement to hold the byelection.

Legislation states a municipality may choose not to hold a byelection if the vacancy occurs after January 1 in the year a general election will be held.

In its response, the province said special circumstances are determined to be unique or exceptional.

“The requirement to hold a byelection has only been waived twice and this was for communities that were experiencing a local state of emergency at the time,” the letter stated.

“Council vacancies occurring in the year prior to the year of a general local election is not considered a special circumstance and, given this, there is no role for the ministry to intervene.”

While the letter suggested Peachland could seek independent legal advice and choose not to hold the byelection, Mayor Patrick Van Minsel said the municipality will go ahead as announced earlier this month.

Van Minsel told Castanet more than a half dozen nomination packages have already been picked up and two people, Ali Bani-Sadr and Chris Richardson have already officially declared they will run for the vacant seat.

Nomination forms for anyone wishing to run for the vacant seat are now available at municipal hall weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Feb. 6.

Completed forms can be returned to municipal hall between Jan. 27 and the close of business Feb. 6.

Click here to obtain information on requirements and procedures for filling out nominations.