Municipal leaders and political scientist criticize Premier David Eby’s snap election timing in October

The Story

B.C. residents will vote twice in October after Premier David Eby called a snap provincial election, prompting criticism over the overlap with ongoing local election campaigns.

Local elections in B.C. are scheduled every four years on the third Saturday of October, and at least some critics pointed to the municipal voting date as Oct. 17.

One concern raised by leaders is that separate election cycles exist for a reason and should not be set aside for political timing. Mayor Ken Sim said in a statement that the principle should not be “set aside because the timing looks politically convenient,” and argued there is no justification for holding the provincial election during the same period when Vancouver and other communities are still voting.

Toronto-area political scientist Sanjay Jeram of Simon Fraser University said the provincial move also raises questions because it occurs while the official opposition is in a leadership transition.

Jeram pointed to the resignation of Kerry-Lynne Findlay as Conservative Party leader on Sunday, Sept. 20, which followed a period of turmoil that saw an exodus of MLAs. The Conservatives have appointed Lorne Doerkson, the MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, as interim leader.

Jeram said he expected developments in B.C. politics to unfold unpredictably, but said he was surprised by Eby calling an election after Findlay stepped down. He said calling an election early generally does not carry penalties for parties, and he can understand an opportunistic strategy, but added that doing so during an opposition leadership change is “particularly problematic.”

Jeram also said low voter turnout is a recurring challenge at the municipal level, and he does not expect an overlap to improve engagement. He did, however, suggest that the heightened attention that comes with provincial campaigning could result in more public focus on politics overall.

The criticism was echoed by the TEAM for a Livable Vancouver. In a release, TEAM mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick said the timing is unfortunate because Vancouver residents are already engaged in an “important civic election campaign,” and residents should be able to focus on decisions about the city’s future.