Should candidates live in the city in which they are running?
Although there is no residency requirement in municipal and school board elections, that question has been bandied about on Twitter in recent weeks as the election campaign heats up towards a Nov. 15 vote.
In the Tri-Cities, four candidates in the current civic election are running outside the city in which they reside.
The one who lives furthest away, according to election documents, is Gail Alty, who resides in Sooke on Vancouver Island and is seeking re-election as a school trustee in Coquitlam.
The veteran trustee, who was first elected to the School District 43 board of education in 1993, moved to Vancouver Island about five years ago to be with her husband, who has a business there, and says she maintains close ties with Coquitlam and has property in the city.
"I think I can contribute to the board in a positive way," said Alty, who said she wanted to run again for the four-year term because she is still passionate about education.
When asked if she would vote for someone who didn't live in the city they were running, Alty said it would depend on how committed they were and what their experience is.
"For 31 years, I've been a volunteer, an employee and a trustee, that's been my focus the whole time I've been in Coquitlam," she said, noting that she makes the trip to Coquitlam from Sooke about every 10 days.
Alty said she doesn't charge taxpayers for her travel to and from the Island.
"I've missed very few meetings in my years since I've been on the board, in 21 years. That's my reason to do it. I'm free to do the work and I'm still passionate about what I do."
Another trustee candidate who is running outside their home city is Chris King, a retired teacher and former Coquitlam Teachers' Association executive member who lives in Coquitlam but is running in Port Coquitlam.
King said he thought "long and hard" before making the decision about where to run and chose Port Coquitlam because it's where "his heart is."
King said he lived in PoCo for many years and now lives in River Springs in Coquitlam, and does all his shopping and other business in PoCo.
"I know the community very well. That was my area, I know all the schools and the administrators, I know the issues. I have those relationships with the community that you need as a trustee."
Anmore and Belcarra have two people running who don't live in either of the villages. But Kerri Palmer Isaak, who is running for school trustee to represent the villages, said her address in Port Moody is temporary to accommodate her children, who go to school in PoMo.
Palmer Isaak said she sold her home in the spring and plans to move back to one of the villages soon because she believes candidates should live in the communities they represent.
"You are more in touch with what's going on," she said.
Meanwhile, Gord Bytelaar, a Coquitlam resident, is running for Anmore village council. He was not available for comment.
