11 candidates have been declared in the long-delayed byelection to replace former Victoria city councillor Laurel Collins.
Collins initially won the spot on council in 2018, but resigned a year later after she was elected to federal office as the MP for Victoria.
After prolonged delays in the byelection process due to COVID-19 restrictions, nearly a dozen people are jockeying for position to be the latest addition Victoria’s council.
Together Victoria, a registered elector organization, has endorsed local housing activist and urban planner Stefanie Hardman as their official candidate.
The self-described “grassroots organization of local residents” has previously run a slate of left-leaning candidates in civic elections, including Collins and current councillors Sarah Potts and Shamarke Dubow.
Former broadcaster Stephen Andrew is once again throwing his hat into the ring, after previously running for municipal office unsuccessfully in 2014 and 2018.
In 2018 Andrew ran with the “New Council” slate of candidates, formed by “a non-partisan group of citizens dedicated to keeping Victoria City Council accountable.”
The complete list of candidates includes:
- Stephen Andrew
- Rob Duncan
- Riga Godron
- Stefanie Hardman
- Bill Heflin
- Jason Heit
- Sean Leitenberg
- Hailey McLeod
- Keith Rosenberg
- Alexander Schmid
- Roshan Vickery
Candidates may withdraw or be challenged until November 16, when the election officially begins.
How to Vote
People aged 18 or older who were residents of B.C. for at least six months prior to voting day, and residents or registered property owners in Victoria for at least 30 days prior to voting day, are eligible to vote in the byelection.
General voting day will take place December 12, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at six voting places:
- James Bay Community School, 140 Oswego Street
- Oaklands Elementary School, 2827 Belmont Avenue
- Sir James Douglas Elementary School, 401 Moss Street
- Da Vinci Centre, 195 Bay Street
- Crystal Garden, 713 Douglas Street (An accessible voting machine will be available.)
- Victoria High School at SJ Willis Education Centre, 923 Topaz Avenue
There will also be eight advance voting days at Crystal Garden (713 Douglas Street):
- Tuesday, December 1, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 2, 8 a.m.– 8 p.m.
- Thursday, December 3, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- Friday, December 4, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- Saturday, December 5, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- Monday, December 7, 8 a.m.– 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 8, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 9, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m.
Voters will also be able to request mail ballots via the online form at victoria.ca/election or by calling 250-361-0571. Mail-in ballots must be received by the City of Victoria before 8 p.m. PST on December 12.
The city says that completed mail ballots should be placed in the mail by Friday, December 4 at the latest to ensure timely delivery.
After December 4, mail ballots can be placed in the drop box at the Pandora Avenue entrance of City Hall, at the advance polling station, or before 8 p.m. at any of the six voting places on General Voting Day.
Postage is included for mail ballot packages mailed within Canada.
When voting in-person, the city is encouraging people to wear masks at the voting location. People will not be asked to remove their masks while voting.
Those who are ill or self-isolating are asked to request a mail ballot package.
