Lorne Doerkson will permanently separate provincial and municipal election calendars and bar any provincial vote within 60 days of local elections.
VANCOUVER, B.C. — Conservative Party of BC Leader Lorne Doerkson promised that a Conservative government will permanently separate provincial and municipal election calendars and bar any provincial vote within 60 days of local elections. Doerkson said the commitment is meant to make sure British Columbians are never again put through overlapping provincial and municipal election campaigns.
Three weeks ago, David Eby called an $80 million snap election for October 24, despite holding a majority government with two years left before the fixed election date. The provincial vote lands just one week after municipal and school board elections on October 17, and provincial advance voting overlaps with municipal voting day. Eby’s mandate ran to the fixed election date of October 2028. Doerkson called the snap election cynical and said it was called in a desperate attempt to cling to power. He said it comes at an enormous cost to British Columbians.
“David Eby scheduled some advance voting days at the exact same time as municipal voting day. That was not an accident. It was a calculation, and an irresponsible and selfish one,” said Doerkson. “At a time of record deficits and ER closures, David Eby has handed British Columbians an approximately $80 million bill for his opportunistic election.”
This has buried local campaigns. Council candidates, school trustees and first-time mayoral candidates who planned to talk with their neighbours about the issues that matter in their communities are instead being asked which election they are running in, while provincial candidates of every party compete for the same confused voters through the same flood of advertising. That includes the first-time mayoral candidate who saved up for lawn signs and spent every evening knocking on doors, expecting to talk about roads, transit, the rec centre and the library. Instead, the first question they hear is, “Wait, which election is this?”
Doerkson said the provincial campaign has swallowed the local one. Health care, public safety and the cost of living are all critical issues, he said, and the people running for city hall and school board deserved their own moment to discuss them. Provincial candidates of every party face the same problem: they are knocking on the same doors, talking to the same confused voters, and competing with the same flood of flyers, phone calls and ads.
“When everyone is shouting, it gets harder to hear anyone,” said Doerkson. “And when people can’t hear, too many of them tune out.”
“David Eby had a majority and two years left on his mandate, and he chose to put his own political calculation ahead of the people of this province,” said Doerkson. “David Eby saw an opportunity for himself, but I see an opportunity for British Columbia. To every voter, volunteer and candidate who has been caught in the middle of this chaos, you deserve a serious government that respects your vote.”
One of a Conservative government’s first acts will be to introduce the Respect Local Democracy Act. This will permanently separate the provincial and municipal election calendars in law, so they are never scheduled for the same fall again. It will also bar any provincial election, snap or scheduled, from being held within 60 days of municipal elections. The Act will apply to every premier of every party.
“If British Columbians choose to make me their next Premier, one of our first acts will be to pass a law to make sure this never happens again,” said Doerkson. “Voters need space to hear from the people who want to represent them. Candidates need a fair chance to be heard.”
The problem is set to recur. Under current law, the next fixed provincial election date and the next general local election date both fall on Saturday, October 19, 2030. The existing provision that lets cabinet move the provincial date is discretionary, sets no minimum gap between the two votes, and leaves the decision with the premier of the day. It does nothing to prevent a snap election.
“Our democracy needs room to breathe,” said Doerkson. “No premier should ever be able to do this to British Columbians again. I’m asking everyone to vote on October 17 and again on October 24, and to use this moment to choose strong leadership for serious times.”
“Democracy is a gift,” said Doerkson. “I want every British Columbian to vote on October 17th and again on October 24th. But holding two sets of elections at the same time is chaotic, opportunistic, and it is not fair to you.”
“David Eby just handed British Columbians something he didn’t intend to: a chance to say ‘enough of this chaos,’” said Doerkson. “A chance to say no more to the BC NDP and a chance to bring strong leadership for serious times.”
Doerkson said his commitment does not depend on how people vote. “Whether you vote for me or not, my commitment to you as Premier is the same: A serious government that will act responsibly and get our province back on track.”
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Alex Shiff, Director of Media Relations
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