Voters in B.C. will likely be heading to the polls a month earlier than usual for the next municipal election, in 2014.
Last year, the provincial government approved 31 recommendations from the Local Government Elections Task Force that would see, among other things, civic elections moved from the third Saturday in November to the third Saturday in October.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development said the task force heard from city administrators and the public and found that having voting day in October could increase voter turnout, with the better weather, especially for northern residents. As well, more people are at home in October as the snowbird season starts in mid-November.
Other task force recommendations include:
imposing expense limits on candidates, elector organizations and third-party advertisers;
requiring disclosure by third-party advertisers;
banning anonymous contributions;
making campaign finance disclosure forms available 90 days after the election and online;
and extending the term of office for incumbents from three to four years.
Nearly all of the recommendations need legislation in order to be implemented.
The six-member task force was co-chaired by Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett and Harry Nyce, president of the Union of BC Municipalities; it also included Coquitlam-Burke Mountain MLA Doug Horne.
