Yup, you should already know that it is an election year. 2022 marks the end of the four-year term your Town Council, Regional District, and School Board officials were elected to back in October 2018. It has been an interesting, challenging, and rewarding term for all involved.
But what do you know about the timeline to Election Day? Let me share with you some of the important dates Elections BC has in place for the 2022 General Local Elections. Election Period Saturday, January 1, 2022 to Friday, September 16, 2022 This means we are already in the Election Period for the upcoming elections. How come no one has indicated they are seeking election or reelection to your local Town Council, Regional District or School Board? That’s a great question. I’ll try to answer that later. The important thing to remember about the Election Period is that it starts on January 1 of the election year and extends to 29 days before General Voting Day. The timeframe is specifically for candidates to retain paperwork on any expenses during the Election Period as all of those expenses must be recorded and reported. Nomination Period Tuesday, August 30, 2022 to Friday, September 9, 2022 The Nomination Period is another important set of dates for candidates. This is when they will collect nomination papers from Town Hall (as an example) and seek local taxpayers to sign the paperwork to verify they are nominating that candidate. A total of ten nominations are required, which are carefully checked out to confirm whether they are eligible voters and residents of the community the candidate seeks to represent. I can tell you that I had 14 nominations when I filed my paperwork back in 2018. It was a good thing that I had more than I needed as one of my nominees was disqualified. Pre-Campaign Period Monday, July 18, 2022 to Friday, September 16, 2022 This is when election advertising rules fully kick in for candidates. Those rules, which can be found on the Elections BC website, are not that hard to follow. They stay in force until General Voting Day. It is during this roughly two-month period when candidates build their campaign teams, create their advertising and marketing strategies, collect campaign contributions, set up election campaign bank accounts, and generally put plans in place to be executed during the official election campaign window of opportunity. You may not know who all candidates are at this point until nominations close. Campaign Period Saturday, September 17, 2022 to Saturday, October 15, 2022 You will know who is running for what shortly before the Campaign Period. Expect media, social media, election signs, advertising of all forms (print, radio, electronic, etc.), pamphlets, door-to-door visits, all-candidate forums, candidate-sponsored meet-and-greets, and other public events to take place. All of these activities are as you would expect in any other election campaign and at any level of government. Fortunately, the Campaign Period is just a month long and that makes it relatively painless for the average voter. In some countries, election campaigns can run for years. General Voting Day Saturday, October 15, 2022 This is Election Day. There will be plenty of notice given during the Campaign Period indicating when and where your local polling place will be located. Plus, Advance Voting opportunities will be announced at that time as well. Generally speaking, advance polls are held about ten days before General Voting Day. To be sure, pay attention to the source you typically use for local information and you should find out from there all you need to know about Advance and General Voting Day polling places and times. By the way, candidates must follow certain rules related to advertising on voting day. Campaign Financing Disclosure Statement Filing Deadline Friday, January 13, 2023 Candidates have forms they must fill out outlining their election expenses. This must be done by both the candidates who get elected and those who don’t. There are penalties for not filing. There is also a late filing deadline (Monday, February 13, 2023). Candidates who wait to this point will automatically be charged a $500 late filing fee. So, Who’s Running In The Local Election? That’s a good question. I can tell you that I am seeking reelection. I have no idea of the intentions of other members of Town Council, Regional District, or School Board. I have heard rumblings within the community of a few people who may seek election, but none of it is technically official until the Nomination Forms are completed, submitted, and the Nomination Period ends. So...technically speaking, my announcement of seeking reelection is not official until my nomination paperwork is filed and nominations close...but...I intend to follow through with all of that. You would think that since the Election Period started on January 1, 2022 (according to Elections BC) that others would take advantage of the time leading up to General Voting Day to say something. But that’s the way we “do” elections in Canada. We wait to see who else is going to act before we do…just in case we change our minds. Anyway, I wanted to share these important dates with you so you can have a better idea of when to expect the process to start moving along as we draw closer to Election Day.
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Typically, this is the time of year I pour through piles of notes and try to put together a lengthy blog post that equates to nothing more than a year in review-style article with a happy Christmas greeting tacked on for good measure. This year is different. I can’t do that. It doesn’t feel right.
To be honest with you, since the flood on November 14, 2021, where portions of Princeton were devastated and close to 300 homes were impacted, I have been struggling with finding the right words. Once I get to that place, I realize that for many right now, whatever I’m going to say is just going to be words. That bothers me to no end. I know many local residents personally who are currently displaced. Some are in local hotels, others in hotels out of town, some are lucky enough to have family near and far to stay with. Christmas for all of these people is going to be very, very different and probably not nearly as merry as it could be. I know some of the impacted residents who are moving forward with restoration efforts. The costs are staggering and causing some to dip deeply into their savings and investments. Calling the Tulameen River Flood a life-changing experience is putting it lightly. In comparison, all I need to do is keep a supply of bottled water in my house. I feel bad that this is the only inconvenience I’m dealing with. Even early in the aftermath of the flood when natural gas service had been cut off to the community, I stuck it out for a couple of nights then went to stay with friends in Kamloops for a week. Considering that I am a firm believer in relating to others because I have “been there, done that” this situation is so foreign to me. I quite literally didn’t even get my feet wet so how am I going to share with the community an upbeat, positive message of hope and happiness if I have only been a spectator to the devastation? It bothers me to no end. Sure, I have been quietly involved in some of the post-flood activities. I even got to MC the Light-Up event downtown earlier this month that did not involve a light-up because most of the Town’s decorations were swept down the Tulameen River on November 14. That put it into perspective for me. However, that night I saw something else. Something I've witnessed frequently since the flood. Through thick and thin, and most recently a flood that has altered the lives of many in Princeton, and Area H, the spirit of our community was not diminished. Friends, neighbours, and strangers have all banded together to help rebuild shattered futures on many of our local streets. Others have sent help, supplies, food, and so much more just to let us know that they care and they want Princeton to keep growing and remain on the map. Volunteers of all walks of life have stepped up and gotten involved. For many new to the area, that outpouring of love has taken them by surprise. For those of us who have lived here for years - myself included - we mentally go over a list of the last half dozen times we’ve seen this happen here in the past. We know it’s there. Sometimes it’s not quite so obvious, but when something kicks our community down, it rises. The spirit of Princeton takes over and engulfs us like a protective shield. However, there are still locals who will be displaced this holiday season with nowhere to go and will be left to sort out what the next steps of their future will be. Some, I’m sure are going to choose to leave Princeton for good. Others will decide to tough it out. As I said, the events of November 14 were life-changing. This bothers me to no end. Through all of this, I do have a message. I’m staying home this holiday. Changes in my life the past year have rearranged how I usually celebrate and quite honestly, I’m not in a celebrating mood these days thinking about the kind of Christmas some of my friends and other residents are going to have. So, instead, I’m offering myself. If you need someone to listen to you for a while, whether it's to vent, cry, or just chat…I’m available to you. You can call my cell anytime at 250-295-2201. If I don’t answer, it's only because I'm in the middle of something but I will get back to you right away. If you want to get together for a coffee, or join me on a walk along the KVR to chat, vent, or whatever, I’m available. Although I can’t speak from experience to what you may be feeling this holiday season, I am a good listener. Feel free to bend my ear. So this is Christmas. A very different Christmas. Let’s make it one where we continue to reach out and help our friends and neighbours get through it as best they can. The past three months (June, July, and August) have been a bit slower than normal for me. There are a few reasons for that and they include the ever-changing COVID restrictions limiting meeting sizes, the fact that many organizations take a well-deserved summer break from monthly meetings, and that Town Council also reduces the number of regular meetings during this time of year. However, I still had several meetings to attend throughout June, July, and August. Here is a quick breakdown of what they were:
June 2021 Thursday, June 1 Drum Vigil, Vermilion Forks Metis Association, Highway 3 (old Chamber of Commerce building) Wednesday, June 2 Special Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Monday, June 7 Regular Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Tuesday, June 15 Princeton Exhibition Association (PXA), Sunflower Downs Track Office (*) Wednesday, June 16 Committee of the Whole Meeting, Town Hall Princeton Arts Council, Riverside Centre (*) Thursday, June 17 Princeton Museum Society, Zoom Meeting (*) Monday, June 21 Regular Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Wednesday, June 23 Special Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Canadian Mental Health Association, Penticton, Zoom Meeting (*) Wednesday, June 30 Emergency Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall July 2021 Thursday, July 1 Tree Planting Ceremony, Town Hall Wednesday, July 14 Special Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Thursday, July 15 Princeton Museum Society, AGM, Princeton Legion Hall (I conducted the Election of Officers) Monday, July 19 Regular Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Wednesday, July 21 Okanagan Regional Library, Kelowna, Zoom Meeting (*) Thursday, July 29 Primary Care Network, Penticton, Zoom Meeting August 2021 Tuesday, August 3 Special Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall Wednesday, August 11 Princeton Museum Society, Princeton Museum (*) Monday, August 16 Regular Meeting of Town Council, Town Hall There were just a couple of meetings I could not attend for various reasons and one event cancellation. I was set to be one of the afternoon MCs during the annual Traditional Music Festival, set for the weekend of August 21 & 22 but it was canceled due to COVID and the current wildfire situation. This is the second year in a row that this event had to be canceled after twelve years of success. There have also been other local events that have been impacted by COVID restrictions along with several activities. It has been a tough year and a half for all non-profits and any other business that depends on tourist traffic in our community. (*) - denotes attendance at a meeting as the only member of Town Council Some Details From The Town Council Meetings At the Monday, June 21 Regular Meeting of Town Council, the first of the 2021 Industrial Park Revitalization Tax Exemption Petitions was received. It was rejected because “the bylaw was not in effect on the date of petition and the proposed use of the property and the proposed business plan do not meet any of the outcomes of the program.” The specifics of the tax exemption are fairly easy to understand, however, I think Town Council is going to have to revisit this bylaw from time to time. At the Monday, July 19 Regular Meeting of Town Council Rika Ruebsaat was present as a delegation representing the Princeton Traditional Music Society. She was the first delegation permitted since COVID restrictions went into place in March 2020 (The restrictions have since tightened up in the Interior Health Region). She provided Council with updates and information on the upcoming 13th Annual event which, sadly, was postponed a week before it was to happen on August 21 & 22. It was also at that same meeting where the Town Council approved a grant-in-aid of up to $2,500 for the organizing group. At the Tuesday, August 3 Special Meeting of Town Council the Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw Amendment 2 was adopted, Council authorized staff to move forward with “the location research, drilling, and study of a new source of water test wells.” Town Council also approved shifting back to Stage 3 Water Restrictions. Council was told that water use during the current heatwave was taxing the water system and depleting reserves required in case of fire. At the Monday, August 16 Regular Meeting of Town Council, the 2020 Annual Water Quality Report was received, and Town Council approved a proposed lease between the Town of Princeton, the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, and the Vermilion Forks Metis Association for “a lease of the property located at 105 Highway 3 East from August 31, 2021, to August 31, 2026.” Health Update Not much to report on my health other than I am still on waiting lists for a cardiac MRI and my kidney operation (now 9 months waiting on that one). There is an interesting thing to point out. I was approached in mid-August by a writer who contributes to a medical magazine that is distributed to 400,000+ doctor's offices. They produce an annual Heart Failure Issue and I am going to be featured as the front cover story discussing my non-surgical recovery. The phone interview I had with the writer was 90-minutes long and we have been going back and forth in emails clarifying details of my story. Otherwise, I’m still walking and lifting weights. I stopped light jogging sessions and trips to do the stairs at Miners Climb due to the heat but should be back at them in September. |
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AuthorMy name is George Elliott. I have been in the Media Industry since 1978. I spent 23 years in Broadcasting and worked in a total of six different radio stations located in southern British Columbia Canada during my career. In 2000 I switched gears and moved into the Print Media Industry at a small town, local weekly community newspaper. In 2004 I bought the paper and operated it with my wife, Brenda until July 2016 when we closed it. I launched a freelance web content and article writing business from my home in January 2014. Archives
October 2023
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