(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
September 30, 2014 - 10:33 AM
KAMLOOPS - Today is the day the civic elections really get rolling. It is the first day nomination papers can be filed for anyone interested in running for city council, regional director or school trustee.
Nomination papers must be filed between Sept. 30 and Oct. 10 at City Hall and by Oct. 20 the candidates will be finalized. Elections will be held Nov. 15 with advance voting available Nov. 5, 6 and 12. The city will be adding more polling stations to help make it easier for people to vote this year as well.
Kamloops Vote 50, a group aimed at increasing voter turnout to 50 per cent, from less than 30 per cent in 2011, will be hosting several candidate sessions over the coming weeks. The goal of these sessions will be to get the candidates in front of voters in more relaxed settings to discuss election issues and get to know the candidates a bit better.
So far in Kamloops all of the current councillors — Donovan Cavers, Ken Christian, Nelly Dever, Tina Lange, Arjun Singh, Marg Spina and Pat Wallace — along with Nancy Bepple, Bob Deino, Dieter Dudy, Annette Glover, Peter Kerek, Dustin McIntyre, Andrew Miller, Mike O’Reilly and Glen Thompson have all announced their intentions to run for one of the eight council seats.
In the mayoral race incumbent Peter Milobar intends to run, along with Ben James and Elaine Sedgman as Mr. Open Pitbelly, a satirical performance art candidate drawing attention to the proposed Ajax Mine.
In total one mayor, eight councillors and five school trustees will be elected Nov. 15 in Kamloops. Terms will be increasing to four years from three years with this election.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014