Nominations

Prospective candidates for local government office must be nominated, consent to the nomination, submit nomination documents and additional information, pay a nomination deposit (if applicable) and submit a financial disclosure statement that details their corporate and personal holdings to run for local office. 

Nominations

The nomination period is the only time during which the Chief Election Officer is permitted to accept nomination documents and deposits (where applicable) from nominees for office. The nomination period begins at 9:00 a.m. local time on the 46th day before general voting day and ends at 4:00 p.m. local time on the 36th day before general voting day.

Nomination packages

Nomination packages can generally be obtained from a local government's Chief Election Officer during regular business hours two to four weeks before the nomination period begins and remain available until the nomination period ends.

Nomination packages include:

• Nomination documents
• Statement of disclosure as required under the Financial Disclosure Act
• Other Information provided by candidate
• Appointments of Financial Agent, Official Agent and candidate scrutineer (if applicable)

The completed package must be submitted back to the Chief Election Officer by the end of the nomination period. Candidate nomination packages can be submitted to the Chief Election Officer in-person, by mail or electronically, such as by email or fax.

Nomination documents

Nominators

Prospective candidates for local government office must be nominated by at least two eligible electors from the jurisdiction where the person is seeking election. However, local governments with populations under 5,000 may require two or 10 nominators, and local governments with populations over 5,000 may require two, 10 or 25 nominators. A nominator must be a qualified elector of the municipality or electoral area (or neighbourhood constituency, if applicable) where the candidate is running.

To nominate a candidate for local office, a nominator must:

• Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote or will be 18 years of age or older on general voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have been a resident of B.C. for at least six months before registering to vote
• Be a resident in the municipality or electoral area for which the nomination is being made, or in the case of a non-property resident property elector, own real property in the municipality or electoral area, for 30 days immediately before the day of registration
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election or be otherwise disqualified by law

Solemn documents

Nomination documents include a solemn declaration from the prospective candidate that:

• They are qualified to be nominated, elected and to hold office
• They are or will be on general voting day for the election, 18 years of age or older
• They are a Canadian citizen
• They are not disqualified by the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or from being nominated for, being elected to or holding the office, or be otherwise disqualified by law
• The information in the nomination package is true
• They fully intend to accept office if elected
• They are aware of, understand and intend to comply with the requirements and restrictions under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act

A prospective candidate may make the required solemn declaration before the Chief Election Officer when submitting their nomination documents or in advance before a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits for B.C. (such as a lawyer or notary public).

Elector organization endorsement 

An elector organization can endorse a candidate on the ballot by filling in all the required endorsement information in the candidates nomination documents. Candidates endorsed by elector organizations must indicate their consent to the endorsement by providing their signature as part of the nomination documents submitted to the Chief Election Officer.

•  Learn more about elector organizations and candidate endorsement

Statement of financial disclosure

All candidates must complete a statement of financial disclosure in accordance with the Financial Disclosure Act as part of their nomination documents submission to the local government. The disclosure statement details an elected official’s corporate and personal holdings and must be available for public inspection.

Elected officials must file financial disclosure statements annually between January 1 and 15 each year, as well as when they leave their elected office. The Financial Disclosure Act financial disclosure statement differs from the campaign financing disclosure statement, which candidates are required to file with Elections BC following a general local election or by-election.

• Learn more about the statement of financial disclosure for local government candidates and elected officials

Nomination deposits

Local governments may require prospective candidates to pay a refundable nomination deposit of up to $100 when submitting their nomination documents. The deposit is refunded when the candidate files their campaign financing disclosure statement with Elections BC.​

• Contact the Chief Election Officer to determine the number of nominators and if a deposit is required

Additional Information to be submitted

A prospective candidate is required to provide the following information in addition to the information required in the nomination documents, to the Chief Election Officer before the close of the nomination period:

Contact information

• A telephone number, an email address (if available), and an address for service at which the person may be contacted;

Appointments

• A statement that person is acting as their own Financial Agent or the information and material required to appoint a Financial Agent under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act

Candidates must appoint a Financial Agent and may also appoint an Official Agent and Scrutineer(s) in their nomination package. The candidate is their own Financial Agent unless they appoint another individual to the position.

Declaration of Candidates

A prospective candidate officially becomes a candidate when they have submitted all the required information, paid a nomination deposit (if applicable) before the end of the nomination period and have been declared a candidate by the Chief Election Officer.

Access to nomination documents

Nomination documents are available for public inspection at the local government office during regular business hours. Nomination documents can be viewed from the time they are submitted until 30 days after election results are declared. An individual viewing the documents must sign a declaration confirming the information will only be used for election purposes. 

A local government may make nomination documents available by other means, such as on its website. The residential address of the person nominated must be obscured prior to providing public access by the Internet or other electronic means.

Certain information in the nomination package will be shared directly by the Chief Election Officer to Elections BC. Any updates to contact information after the general local election or by-election results have been declared must be sent directly to Elections BC.

Challenge of nomination

An eligible elector, another nominee for office or the Chief Election Officer can challenge a prospective candidate’s nomination if they believe the nomination documents are incorrect or the person is not otherwise eligible to be nominated for office.

Nomination challenges must be made through an application to the Provincial Court. The application must briefly set out the facts upon which the challenge is based and be supported by an affidavit signed by the challenger.

• Learn more about challenging a nomination in provincial court

Withdrawing a nomination

Prospective candidates may reconsider and withdraw their candidacy during the nomination period and for seven days following the close of nominations. The prospective candidate must provide written notice of their withdrawal to the Chief Election Officer in order for their name to be removed from the ballot. The Minister responsible for local government must approve the withdrawal before the Chief Election Officer can remove the prospective candidate’s name from the ballot after the withdrawal deadline has passed.