Candidate Information

All Candidates Meetings
Notices of All-Candidates meetings in the community will be posted here as the Elections Office is notified of them.
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General Nomination Information

Candidates AND ELECTOR ORGANIZATIONS

The nomination period ends at 4:00 p.m. on December 29, 2023. For prospective candidates who will be absent during the nomination period, please see the attached procedure here.

An information session for prospective candidates was held on Monday, December 18, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. A copy of the presentation can be found here.

CANDIDATE nomination package and forms

Nomination information and forms

election guides

school trustee information

bylaws and legislation

additional information

What are the rules around signs?
Signs are regulated by the Sign Bylaw No. 7867, 2017

The following documents regarding election signs have been provided to candidates
How do I know if I can be on Council or on the the School Board?
You can run for any of the positions if you
- are 18 or older on General Voting Day (October 15)
- are a Canadian Citizen
- were a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months before submitting your nomination documents;
- Not disqualified from voting or from being nominated for, being elected to or holding office, or be otherwise disqualified by law
If you submit your nomination documents on September 9, you must have been a BC resident since at least March 8, 2022.

The Local Government Act S. 81(2) and and 82(1) define who is not eligible to run for Council. The School Act S. 33 and 34 define who is not eligible to run for School Board Trustee.
How much can I spend on my campaign?
The Local Elections Campaign Financing Act is overseen by Elections BC. The City has no role in this aspect of the election. Please see the Elections BC website for more information.

Update, May 25, 2022: Elections BC has announced the campaign spending limits for the 2022 General Local Election. Expense limits for candidates in New Westminster are as follows:

Mayor Candidate $56,240.94
Councillor Candidate $28,459.80
School Trustee Candidate $28,377.00
Where can I get more information about becoming a candidate for Council?
The Province has a number of documents and videos that should be reviewed by prospective candidates for Council.

The Thinking of Running for Local Office? page has five videos on the roles and responsibilities of Council members and local government. You're encouraged to review these, along with the documents available on that page before making the decision to run for Council.

After you've decided to run for Council the You've decided to run for local office page has four videos on what to expect before, during and after the 2022 local elections.

There are also a number of guides and manuals on this page and you are encouraged to review them before submitting your candidacy documents.
Where can I get more information about becoming a School Board Trustee?
The nomination process for School Trustee candidates is the same as for Council candidates. You can get a general idea of what to expect before, during, and after the general local elections by reviewing the videos on the Provincial website.

The Ministry of Education provides general information on School Trustee Election Procedures. The document linked below provides a good overview of these procedures:
- School Trustee Election Procedures in British Columbia
The BC School Trustee's Association (BCSTA) provides information for prospective School Board Trustee Candidates. You are encouraged to review the following pages and documents before deciding whether to run for School Trustee:
- General Information on Trustee Elections
  Putting Students first: A guide for School Trustee Candidates (pdf)
- What do Trustees do?
  The Role of Boards of Education and Trustees in BC (pdf)
  
  Boards of Education are Essential (pdf)
Other information from School District 40:
Can I Canvas in Multifamily Buildings?
Changes to the Local Government Act now allow candidates and appointed canvassers into multifamily buildings (strata, rental and co-op) for canvassing.
The Province has changed the Local Government Act to allow candidates for local government and appointed canvassers reasonable access to multifamily dwellings, including strata, rental and co-op housing during the campaign period (9am to 9 pm, September 17 to October 15, 2022)

A summary of the requirements is below:
- A candidate or authorized canvasser must have reasonable access to residential property for the purpose of canvassing electors and distributing candidate information;
- If requested by a resident of the property, landlord, housing cooperative or strata corporation, or anyone acting on their behalf, candidates and authorized canvassers must produce:
  
  A government-issued photo ID; and
  
  Proof of candidacy (form C2 or CS2 for candidates); or,
  
  A candidate's written authorization to canvass on their behalf (Canvasser Authorization form for canvassers)
As a courtesy, a letter has been sent to strata, co-op and rental buildings, informing them of this change.

Candidates must make their own arrangements with the building management for access.

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Candidate Information

General Nomination Information

Candidates AND ELECTOR ORGANIZATIONS

CANDIDATE nomination package and forms

Nomination information and forms

election guides

school trustee information

bylaws and legislation

additional information

What are the rules around signs?

How do I know if I can be on Council or on the the School Board?

How much can I spend on my campaign?

Where can I get more information about becoming a candidate for Council?

Where can I get more information about becoming a School Board Trustee?

Can I Canvas in Multifamily Buildings?

Mayor Candidate	$56,240.94
Councillor Candidate	$28,459.80
School Trustee Candidate	$28,377.00