Powell River and District Teachers’ Association (PRDTA) will be hosting an all-candidates forum for the seven candidates vying for the three available seats in the April 24 Powell River Board of Education school trustee byelection.
The forum will be held on April 18 at 2 pm and arranged as a Zoom videoconference. Those wanting to attend can preregister for the event by emailing [email protected]. The forum is scheduled to last a maximum of two hours.
PRDTA president Izi Loveluck said there will be a packet going out to everybody who wants to attend which will have responses to questions that have gone out to the candidates. Attendees for the forum will be able to type questions into the videoconference chat.
Loveluck said there will be a couple of moderators for the forum. They will make sure questions posed to the candidates are related to trustee roles. The district parent advisory committee (DPAC) will be putting questions into the chat.
This is the first time PRDTA has sponsored an all-candidates forum. Loveluck said teachers felt it was very important, not just for teachers but for the community as a whole.
“When we started talking about this, we were going to do it just for teachers, but teachers indicated that it needed to be done for the community,” said Loveluck.
She said the forum will be recorded so people who cannot make the forum can see it afterwards.
General voting will be open to qualified electors of the School District 47 trustee electoral area between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm at the following locations: Westview Elementary School, 3900 Selkirk Avenue; James Thomson Elementary School, 6388 Sutherland Avenue; Kelly Creek Community School, 2341 Zilinsky Road.
Advanced voting options
Advance voting will be available to qualified electors on April 14 and April 21 between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm in the boardroom of the Powell River School Board Office, 4351 Ontario Avenue.
There is no need to preregister to vote as registration of all electors will take place at the time of voting. Voters will be required to make a declaration that they meet the following requirements: 18 years of age or older on general voting day; Canadian citizen; resident of BC for at least six months immediately preceding the day of registration; resident of or registered owner of real property in School District 47 trustee electoral area for at least 30 days immediately preceding the day of registration, and not otherwise disqualified by the School Act or any other enactment from voting in an election or otherwise disqualified by law.
Resident electors must produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature). Picture identification is not necessary. The identification must prove both residency and identity.
Non-resident property electors must produce two pieces of identification (at least one with a signature) to prove identity, proof they are entitled to register in relation to the property, and, if there is more than one owner of the property, written consent from the majority of the property owners.
Due to COVID-19, all eligible voters may apply to vote by mail in this byelection. Mail ballots may be requested by phone, at 604.485.7744, by fax, at 604.485.6435 or email at [email protected], or by mail, to 4351 Ontario Avenue, Powell River, BC, V8A 1V3. Those requesting the mail ballot package must provide full name and residential address.
Mail ballots must be returned to the chief election officer at 4351 Ontario Avenue no later than 8 pm on April 24.
For information about the candidates, go to prpeak.com/in-the-community.
