Coquitlam will officially vote in a new school trustee on Feb. 22, 2025.
Tonight, city council is expected to pave the way for civic staff to organize the byelection to replace Jennifer Blatherwick, who was elected as MLA for Coquitlam–Maillardville in October.
According to the report from Michelle Hunt, Coquitlam’s deputy city manager, corporate officer Kerri Wells will be the chief election officer and Stephanie Nicols will be named as the deputy chief election officer for the School District 43 vote.
Under B.C.’s School Act, an election must be held if a school board vacancy occurs before Jan. 1 of the general election year.
Municipalities are charged to administer the trustee elections, with the school district footing the bill. The City of Coquitlam has budgeted up to $350,000 to conduct the 2025 byelection.
In the past, voter turnout for Coquitlam byelections has been between five and seven per cent.
Byelection schedule
Here are the key dates leading up to the Feb. 22 vote:
- Dec. 8 to 31, 2024
- notice of nomination
- Jan. 7, 2025
- nomination period begins
- Jan. 17, 2025
- nomination period ends
- candidates declared
- Jan. 21, 2025
- deadline for challenge of nominations
- Jan. 24, 2025
- deadline for withdrawal of candidates
- Jan. 25, 2025
- campaign period begins
- Jan. 27, 2025
- chief election officer declares an election by voting or acclamation
- Feb. 1, 2025
- first day to erect election signs
- Feb. 12, 2025
- advance voting
- Feb. 15, 2025
- advance voting
- Feb. 22, 2025
- general voting day
- campaign period ends
- preliminary election results announced
The city is currently recruiting byelection staff, Hunt wrote in her report to council.
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