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On 2008 November 15 local government elections were held to elect a (1) Mayor and eight (8) Councillors to Burnaby City Council and seven (7) School Trustees to the Burnaby Board of Education. You may access information on the results of the election by selecting from the menu above. To download a copy of the report of the Chief Election Office to Council please see the Election Office Report - [PDF 2MB].
If you have any questions about local government elections refer to the Frequently Asked Questions portion of this site or contact:
Office of the City Clerk
4949 Canada Way
Burnaby, B.C.
Phone: 604-294-7290
In accordance with Sections 83 – 93 of the Local Government Act, all Candidates, Elector Organizations and Campaign Organizers are required to make public an account of the campaign contributions they received and the election expenses they incurred in the form of a campaign financing disclosure statement filed with the local government. This disclosure statement must be filed with 120 days after general voting day, 2009 March 16.
All candidates and elector organizations were provided with information and appropriate documents when filing their nomination documents. If more documents are required or if you have any questions in this regard please contact the Office of the City Clerk at 604-294-7290 or until February 27, 2009 the Election Office at 604-294-7088.
Campaign organizers who have either spent or collected a minimum of $500 to run a campaign must also submit campaign financing documents by 2009 March 16.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the rules concerning local government elections?
There are very strict rules regarding the conduct of local government elections to ensure that they are fair, open and honest. These procedures are established by the Province of B.C. in Part 3 of the Local Government Act. In accordance with the Act local governments are permitted to adopt bylaws concerning election procedures in their jurisdiction.
When is general voting day?
The next local government election is scheduled to be held on November 19, 2011.
Am I Qualified to Vote?
There are two categories of electors for local government elections in the Province of British Columbia: Resident Electors and Non-Resident Property Electors.
You are qualified to register as a Resident Elector in the City of Burnaby if you meet the following criteria:
- You must be 18 years of age or older on or before general voting day;
- You must be a Canadian citizen;
- You must have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months prior to the day of registration;
- You must have been a resident of the City of Burnaby for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration;
- You must not be disqualified from voting by any statute or law.
You are qualified to register as a Non-Resident Property Elector in the City of Burnaby if you meet the following criteria:
- You must be an individual who is, or who will be on general voting day, 18 years of age or older;
- You must be a Canadian citizen;
- You must be a resident of BC for at least six months immediately before the day of registration;
- You must be a registered owner of real property in the City of Burnaby for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration;
- You must not be eligible to register as a resident elector in the City of Burnaby;
- Must only register in relation to one piece of property; and
- If more than one person owns the property, only one owner may register and that person must have the written consent of a majority of the other owners.
NOTE: In accordance with the Local Government Act, the only persons who are registered owners, either as joint tenants or tenants-in-common, are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust. A person may only register as a Non-Resident Property Elector in relation to one parcel of property in the City of Burnaby and must provide proof of ownership of the property on which registration is based.
Am I registered to vote?
The City of Burnaby currently does not have a list of registered voters. The City will use the Province of B.C. voters list for the civic election and Elections BC maintains and updates the list between elections. Approximately five (5) months prior to the next election the City of Burnaby will purchase the list of electors from the province. If your name does not appear on the Provincial list you will still be able to register to vote at your voting place on general election day.
Should you wish to register to vote or change your information with Elections BC please call 1-800-661-8683 or by visiting their website at www.elections.bc.ca
Where is my voting place?
The City of Burnaby has by bylaw established Voting Divisions and you are required to vote in the Division in which you live. A list of the voting places for each Division will be made available on this website in 2011. Notices will also appear in local newspapers and Information Burnaby closer to general voting day.
Can I vote if I cannot get to my voting place on General voting day?
Yes. Advance Voting opportunities will be provided prior to general voting day – please revisit this website or look for notices in the newspaper or Information Burnaby in 2011 for more information.
What provisions are made to assist seniors and persons with disabilities?
The City of Burnaby provides Special Voting Opportunities for persons hospitalized or residing in care facilities who are unable to attend their voting place. Election staff will again consult with the various facilities located in Burnaby to provide this service. Curbside voting is available for persons who cannot access their voting place. The Chief Election Officer will review with Council the process of using a mail-in ballot prior to the 2011 election.
What provisions are made to assist people using other languages?
Voting instructions and information are posted in voting places in English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Korean and Tagalog. In addition, the City makes an effort to have some multi-lingual election staff at each of its voting locations. A translator may assist you in the voting process and at the voting booth if a solemn declaration to preserve the secrecy of the ballot is completed.
What are the qualifications to run for local government office?
Burnaby voters will elect One (1) candidate for the position of Mayor; Eight (8) candidates for the position of Councillor and Seven (7) candidates for School Trustee.
To qualify as a candidate for local government office, at the time of nomination a person must meet the following criteria:
- 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
- Canadian Citizen;
- Resident of B. C. for at least 6 months prior to the date of nomination;
- Not disqualified by any statute or law from being nominated, elected or holding office.
When can people be nominated as candidates in the election?
Nominations can only be accepted during the nomination period set out in the Local Government Act. The period designated is between 46 and 36 days before general voting day. Information will be posted on this website, local newspapers and Information Burnaby prior to the nomination period. To download a copy of the "Candidate Guide for Local Government" produced by the Provincial government please see the Candidate Guide - [PDF 291KB]. |
