South Peace voters begin deciding their local representatives

Brenda Ginter, who is acting as chief electoral officer for Dawson Creek during this civic election, confirmed that 218 people came into City Hall to participate in advanced voting. That represents three per cent of the 7,112 eligible voters in the city.

Ginter said there is no doubt the inclement weather in the late afternoon affected the number of people casting early ballots, as only about 20 people did during the last two hours of voting between 6 and 8 p.m.

She said in the last civic election in 2008, 306 people cast early ballots on the first day of advanced voting, or about fiver per cent of the 6,521 eligible voters. In total, 495 total ballots were cast over the two advanced voting days in 2008.

Another advanced voting day in Dawson Creek will take place on Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at City Hall. Voters are no longer required to provide a reason why they can’t attend the general voting day in order to participate in advanced voting. The results of advanced voting, however, won’t be known until after 8 p.m. on the general election day, Nov. 19.

In Dawson Creek, there are 15 candidates vying for six seats on city council, while three candidates have put their names forward for two seats open on the school board. 

Check out mile0city.ca for profiles of 14 of the candidates for council (attempts to reach candidate Miles Mortensen have not been successful to date), as well as a summary of the all-candidates forum that was held on Monday.

Elsewhere in the South Peace, 26 voters in Chetwynd cast early ballots for mayor and council on Wednesday. The district office also acted as a polling station for Electoral Area E, and three voters from that rural area cast early ballots. Another advanced voting day will take place on Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the district office. The Chetwynd General Hospital has also been made available for qualified electors who are patients or staff to vote on the general election day on Nov. 19.

There are two candidates vying to be the next mayor of Chetwynd, and nine candidates running for the six seats on district council. Two candidates are running to represent Electoral Area E on the Peace River Regional District Board.

In Tumbler Ridge, 57 voters cast early ballots on Wednesday. The next advanced voting opportunity in Tumbler Ridge is Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall. Two candidates are running for the mayor’s seat there, while eight candidates are running to be elected to six seats on district council.

Mile 0 City will look to confirm the total number of early ballots cast for Electoral Areas D and E a little later this afternoon.