Fort St. John reacts to political parties entering municipal elections

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — As the Conservative Electors Association moves to establish a presence in Fort St. John ahead of the 2026 municipal election, some residents say they are wary of political parties entering local politics.

The association registered in August as a local elector organization in 15 communities, including Fort St. John, and has since opened applications for candidates interested in running for mayor and council in October 2026.

The Conservative Electors Association says it has seen a positive response to its candidates, with the party affiliation giving voters “a clear option” for the next election.

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Energeticcity.ca asked Fort St. John community members on social media for their reactions, and many questioned whether party-affiliated candidates belong at City Hall, arguing municipal government should remain focused on local issues rather than broader political ideologies.

“Party politics has no place in municipal government,” said Lucas Wuthrich. 

“Municipal leaders should be elected based on a platform of local issues, not on a party agenda. They should be accountable to the local community, not to a party.”

TJ Holte echoed those concerns, saying he struggles to see the value of party structures at the local level. 

“When issues are local, I don’t see the utility behind a wider party,” he said. “I would rather my local representatives push what they believe is best, whether or not I agree with it, than taint their integrity in party politics.”

Jeremy Palo said introducing party labels could shift how voters make decisions: “City council should be about fixing roads, housing and community [issues], not pushing party agendas.

“Once you bring party lines into it, people start voting based on team loyalty instead of what actually makes sense for the community.”

Trystan Jones, who ran in a Fort St. John council by-election in 2021, was more direct, calling party politics “an anathema to municipal governance.”

“It’s literally just a way for provincial and federal parties to funnel funds and policies from their party apparatus into city policy,” Jones said. 

“Municipal governance and policy should stay with the communities, not whatever some party policy apparatus says it should do at ‘party HQ’ hundreds of miles away.”

In response to some of the concerns, the Conservative Electors Association’s president, David Denhoff, said the reaction to Conservative-branded municipal candidates has been largely positive.

“There has been a very strong and positive grassroots response to Conservative candidates running for City Hall in Fort St. John and across B.C.,” Denhoff told Energeticcity.ca. 

“Having clearly identified Conservative candidates on the municipal ballot gives voters in Fort St. John a clear Conservative option in the next election.”

Denhoff argued party affiliation enhances, rather than limits, local democracy. “That’s more choice at the ballot box for voters, not less,” he said, adding party identification helps voters hold municipal leaders accountable.

The Conservative Electors Association will appear on municipal ballots simply as “Conservative,” and is registered with Elections BC. 

The organization says it operates independently from both the federal and provincial Conservative parties.

Fort St. John’s current mayor and council are all non-partisan. The next municipal elections in B.C. are scheduled for October 2026.