2021 School Trustee By-election

Notice of election by voting

General Voting Day: Saturday, February 27, 2021

Public notice is hereby given to the electors of the Township of Langley that an election by voting is necessary to elect one School Trustee for the balance of a four-year term expiring November 2022. As authorized under section 99(5) of the Local Government Act, “Jurisdiction of Residence” is provided as indicated.

The persons nominated as candidates and for whom votes will be received are:

Profiles and photos for all of the candidates are posted here. 

Voting places

Voting will be open to qualified electors of the Township of Langley on Saturday, February 27, 2021, between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm at the following locations:

Changes due to COVID-19

Voting will be different due to COVID safeguards. In most case, voters will enter the voting place via an exterior door (gym door) and exit from another exterior gym door. Therefore, all locations may not be wheelchair accessible.  

Elector registration - resident

If you are not on the List of Registered Electors, (visit tol.ca/elections to determine if you are on the list) you may register at the time of voting at the “New Registration” table in the voting place on Election Day. To register you must meet ALL the following qualifications:

• 18 years of age or older on the day of registration
• Canadian citizen
• resident of B.C. for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration
• resident of the Township of Langley for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration
• not otherwise disqualified by law from voting

Those resident electors registering at the time of voting, are required to produce 2 pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). The identification must show both residency and identity. Resident electors who are registered and on the Voters list, only need to produce one piece of identification.

Elector registration - non-resident property

Persons (not corporations) who own property in the Township of Langley but live outside the Township, may register to vote as a Non-Resident Property Elector. To register you must meet ALL the following qualifications:

• 18 years of age or older on the day of registration
• Canadian citizen
• resident of B.C. for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration
• registered owner of real property in the Township of Langley for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration
• not otherwise disqualified by law from voting

In addition to the required ID, non-resident property electors will be required to produce a recent title search print from the Land Title Office. Corporations do not have the right to vote, and only one individual for a parcel of land may vote.  In the case of multiple owners of a parcel of land, a majority of the owners must sign a consent form, designating one of the property owners to vote. If a corporation is one of the owners of the parcel of land, the property does not qualify as a non-resident property. The Non-Resident Property Elector form and Consent form are available by contacting bwilson@tol.ca.

A person can only vote once in the election, either as a resident of the Township of Langley or as a Non-Resident Property Elector. City of Langley residents who own property in the Township cannot vote for a School Trustee in the Township.

Advance voting opportunities

Advance voting will be available as follows:

• Wednesday, February 17 (8:00am to 8:00pm) Aldergrove - Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre - 26770 29 Avenue. Enter through the meeting room door.
• Thursday, February 18 (8:00am to 8:00pm) Willowbrook/Willoughby - Township Civic Facility, 20338 65 Avenue – 1^st floor – enter through the first floor entrance.
• Friday, February 19 (8:00am to 8:00pm) Walnut Grove - Walnut Grove Recreation Centre gymnasium, 8889 Walnut Grove Drive. Drive around the back of the building (past the pool) to the parking lot at the back and enter through the gym doors.

Mail-in ballot voting opportunities

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot for the 2021 School Trustee By-election has now passed. Completed mail-in ballots should be placed in the mail by February 19, 2021. After February 19, do not put your mail-in ballot in the mail. You can return a mail-in ballot in Return Envelope C to the following locations before 8:00pm on Saturday, February 27:

• The drop box located outside either the first or second floor entrance of the Township of Langley Civic Facility at 20338 - 65 Avenue
• Any of the six voting places on General Voting Day

Only mail-in ballots received before 8:00pm on Saturday, February 27, 2021 will be counted.

General election information

For this election, small paper ballots will be used and counted manually after the polls close. Voter Notification Cards will not be mailed out to Registered Resident Electors.

Election signs/banners

Candidates are not permitted under the Township of Langley Bylaw, to erect election signs outside buildings or on properties before 9am on Saturday, February 6, 2021 and all election signs are required to be removed by Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Township Bylaw No. 5034 (Election and Political Signs Bylaw) as amended, regulates the erection of election signs on private and public property.

Neither the Township of Langley nor School District No. 35 permits the use of its logos, heraldic emblems or similar corporate identifiers for the purpose of any candidate’s campaign activities. No election signs are permitted on Township or School District property.

Candidate, Elector Organization and Campaign Financing and Third-Party Sponsors

Candidate campaigning financing, Electoral Organization campaign financing and Third Party Sponsors are administered by Elections BC and not by the Township of Langley. The requirements for campaign financing and third party sponsors can be found within the “Local Elections Campaign Financing Act” or by contacting Elections BC at 1-855-952-0280 or http://www.elections.bc.ca/lecf.

For further information, contact:

• Bob Wilson, Deputy Chief Election Officer at 604-533-6138; bwilson@tol.ca   
• Wendy Bauer, Chief Election Officer at 604-533-6101; wbauer@tol.ca