Elections in the Trust Area

Island communities elect their local representatives every three years. In total, there are 26 trustees elected across the Trust Area

Islands Trust Elections 2008

Islands Trust elections are administered in accordance with the BC Local Government Act, under contract to six Regional Districts in the Trust Area. Bowen Island Municipality manages its own elections. In March, 2008, the province amended parts of the Act that affect local government elections. In June 2008 Trust Council adopted a new elections bylaw to incorporate some of those changes.  Links to these documents can be found below:

• Islands Trust Candidates Guide
• Salt Spring Island Referendum
• Trust Council Elections Bylaw
• 2008-2009 Local Government Elections Calendar
• Candidates Guides and Voters Guides to Local Elections in BC
• Campaign Organizer Guide

2008 Candidate Election Forms

2008 Election and Referendum Results

Islands Trust Trustee Election Administration Review

The Islands Trust conducted a thorough review in 2008 of how it administers elections. The Local Government Act defines most aspects of the election process and determines who is eligible to vote. The Islands Trust wants to ensure that it administers elections in a way that is:

• consistent with the Local Government Act;
• consistent with opportunities available to voters in other British Columbia municipalities; and
• fair, clear and cost-effective.

A survey in January 2008 was one component of the overall Election Administration Review.

• Trustee Election Administration Review - Public Survey Results - February 2008

As an incentive for participation, there was a draw for a deluxe basket of treats from Gulf Island suppliers. Richard Smith of Surrey, BC was the lucky winner. The more than 300 responses to this survey were taken into careful consideration when Trust Council met in June 2008.

After considering the survey and a staff report at its quarterly meeting in June, 2008, the Islands Trust Council adopted a new bylaw and endorsed dozens of recommendations on how to improve elections practices, from communications, to lists of electors, to staff training at polling stations.

Mail Ballots in the Trust Area

Under recent BC legislation, local governments can choose whether to offer mail ballots in their jurisdiction. In 2008, Trust Council is offering mail ballots for residents of Bowyer and Passage Islands, but is not offering mail ballots in other areas. Trust Council's decision to limit mail ballots in 2008 is based on the following concerns:

• Consistency. Islands Trust elections are administered by regional districts, and when Trust Council adopted its election administration bylaw (June 2008), there was no indication that any regional districts in the Trust Area were going to offer mail ballots.
• Ballot verification. Election staff are unsure whether it will be possible to verify the eligibility of mail ballots in the short time provided.
• Close margins. Smaller islands may have very narrow margins in election results and questions about the validity of mail ballots could lead to judicial challenges, uncertainties and delays.

Questions?

Please contact the elections staff in the Regional District responsible for elections in your area.

Islands Trust election services are contracted to the Regional Districts in your area. If you are unable to get the answers you need on this web-site, or from your regional district elections staff, pleae contact:

Director, Trust Area Services
(250) 405-5174

Mailing Address:
Islands Trust
200 - 1627 Fort St
Victoria, BC
V8R 1H8

Main: (250) 405-5151
Fax: (250) 405-5155