Creston, B.C., January 3, 2024: The Town of Creston will be holding a by-election to fill the vacant Councillor positions resulting from the resignation of Councillors Jim Elford and Anthony Mondia in 2023.
General Voting Day will be Saturday March 16, 2024 from 8 am - 8 pm at the Upper Rotacrest Hall, 230 19 Ave, Creston. Advance Voting will take place on March 6, 2024 and March 13, 2024 from 8 am - 8 pm at the Upper Rotacrest Hall.
Qualified Candidates interested in putting their name forward for office must submit their required nomination package during Candidate Nomination Period, which begins on January 30 at 9 am and concludes at 4 pm February 9, 2024.
Those interested in voting in the by-election should ensure they are eligible to vote and are registered. In accordance with the Local Government Act and the Town of Creston's Local Government Election and Assent Voting Bylaw No. 1926, 2021 the Town will be using the Provincial Voters List as the register of resident electors. Advance elector registration will be accepted until January 23, 2024. New elector registration will be accepted on advance and general voting days.
For further information please email elections@creston.ca, or phone 250-428-2214, or visit Town Hall at 238- 10th Avenue North.
All legislated notices containing important dates and announcements respecting the by-election will be advertised in the Creston Valley Advance as well as posted on the Town of Creston's website.
Donna Cassel, Administrative Assistant, 250 428-2214 (410)
Interested in Running for Local Office?
Serving your community can be a rewarding experience. There are many reasons to run - you might run to be actively involved in the local-decision making process, contribute your experience and knowledge to the community, address issues or lead change. To learn more see Election Resources below.
Thinking of running for Local Government Office? To be eligible to run for local government office in a general local election or a by-election, a person must have been a resident of B.C. at least six months before filing their nomination documents. They do not have to live or own property in the area where they are running for office.
In addition, a person must:
Be 18 years of age or older on general voting day
Be a Canadian citizen
Nominees must be nominated by two resident electors of the Town of Creston
Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from being nominated for, being elected to or holding office, or be otherwise disqualified by law.
A person is ineligible to run for office in a general local election of by-election if they:
Have been convicted of and sentenced for an indictable offence and are in custody.
Are judges of the Provincial Court, Supreme Court or Court of Appeal
Are involuntarily confined to a psychiatric facility or other institution
Have been disqualified for specified reasons such as failing to file a candidate disclosure statement in a previous election, failing to make an oath of office, or failing to attend local government meetings in the manner and frequency required by the Community Charter
Have been otherwise disqualified from being nominated for, elected to or holding office under the Local Government Act, Community Charter, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act or any other enactment or law.
Candidates must submit a Candidate Nomination Package between 9:00 am January 30 and 4:00 pm February 9, 2024 to be included as a candidate. The packages will be available on January 4 to pick up at Town Hall, 238 - 10th Avenue North. They may be requested electronically by emailing elections@creston.ca.
Candidates must ensure their forms are correctly filled out and that the chosen nominators are Resident Electors. Completed nomination forms must be delivered to the Chief Election Officer or Deputy Election Officer by 4:00 pm on February 9, 2024 at Town Hall.
For more local election information and helpful videos, check out the following:
For more information about local campaign financing and election advertising rules read Local Elections FAQs or contact the Local Elections Campaign Financing Team at Elections BC by phone: 1-800-661-8683 or by email at electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca.
Campaign Period Expense Limits
In accordance with the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, for the 2024 Local By-election, the following expense limits for candidates during the campaign period apply:
Councillor............. $5,398.92
Third Party Advertising Limits
In accordance with the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, for the 2024 Local By-election, the following third party advertising limits apply:
Councillor............. $809.84
For further information on campaign period expense limits and third party advertising limits, please contact:
General Voting Day: Saturday March 16, 2024 from 8 am to 8 pm
Advance Voting Days: Wednesday March 6 and March 13, 2024 from 8 am to 8 pm
Location: General and Advance Voting Opportunities will be held atUpper Rotacrest Hall, located at 230-19 Avenue North, Creston BC.
Mail Ballot Voting: In accordance with the Local Government Act mail ballots are permitted for all qualified electors. To request a mail ballot please email elections@creston.ca
Are you eligible to vote? If you aren't sure find out by calling 428-2214 or visiting Town Hall, 238-10th Avenue North. Advance elector registrations will be accepted until January 23, 2024. New registrations will also be accepted on Advance and General Voting Days.
The following qualifications must be met to register as a resident or non-resident property elector.
Resident Electors:
18 years of age or older;
Canadian citizen;
resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration;
resident of the Town of Creston; and,
not disqualified under this or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law.
Non-Resident Property Electors:
not entitled to register as a resident elector;
18 years of age or older;
Canadian citizen;
resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration;
registered owner of real property in the Town of Creston for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration;
the only persons who are registered owners of the real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust;
not disqualified under this or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law; and,
if there is more than one individual who is the registered owner of real property, either as joint tenants or tenants in common, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the owners, register as a non-resident property elector.
Frequently Asked Questions
A person is a resident of the municipality where the person lives.
A person may not be a resident in more than one municipality at a time.
A person does not cease to be a resident by leaving for temporary purposes (i.e., school, vacation).
A resident does not have to own property. A resident may be a renter.
A person is a non-resident property elector if they do not live in the municipality, but instead own property in the municipality.
Non-resident property electors will need to provide a copy of their land title to prove ownership and identify how many people are on title.
If the property is owned by more than one person, only one of the owners may vote on behalf of the property as a non-property elector. If the property is owned by more than one person, the majority of owners have to decide which of them will be voting on behalf of the property and fill out the appropriate consent form.
No person may vote more than one time in any election.
Yes, if you need assistance, an election official may assist you. If you are caring for someone (e.g., a child or elderly relative) at the time you cast your ballot, the presiding election official may allow you to have that person in the booth with you.
Anyone providing assistance to another elector is required to sign a solemn declaration before providing any assistance.
