White Rock residents may be heading back to the polls this fall, as city council begins laying the groundwork for a byelection to fill a vacant council seat following the resignation of Ernie Klassen.
Klassen stepped down on May 9 after being elected Member of Parliament for South Surrey–White Rock, leaving a seat open that the city is now required to fill. While a firm date for the vote has yet to be confirmed, city staff are eyeing Saturday, September 20 as a likely option, pending upcoming administrative approvals.
At a regular council meeting on June 9, Director of Corporate Administration Tracey Arthur outlined the election timeline. She explained that a byelection must be held within 80 days of appointing a chief election officer—an appointment expected to take effect on July 7.
Arthur also introduced proposed changes to the city’s election bylaw, which must be in place at least six weeks prior to the nomination period. Among the amendments under consideration are:
Two advance voting days — proposed for September 10 and 16;
Replacing mobile voting stations at care facilities with mail-in ballot options, citing low in-person turnout at Evergreen Baptist Care during the 2022 election;
Listing candidate names alphabetically on ballots rather than by lot draw, aiming to streamline the voting experience;
Confirming three polling locations: White Rock Community Centre, Kent Street Activity Centre, and Centennial Arena.
Council also heard that the projected cost of the byelection is estimated to match the last full municipal election, coming in around $90,000. While savings may be limited, staff will explore ways to reduce expenses where possible, such as securing discounted voting equipment.
Councillor Chris Trevelyan raised concerns about voter engagement, suggesting the vote be scheduled later in the fall to avoid summer vacation conflicts. “Pushing the date to early October could help boost turnout,” he said.
Mayor Megan Knight asked about oversight for mail-in ballots. Arthur clarified that while there are no scrutineers specifically for mail ballots, each submission is verified through a certification process. In the 2022 election, 142 mail-in ballots were issued, but only 62 were counted after others were either not returned or improperly completed.
The possibility of adding a referendum or public opinion question to the byelection ballot was also discussed. Arthur noted this could be done with minimal additional cost.
One topic that sparked debate was whether Klassen was legally required to resign from city council after becoming an MP. Councillor Elaine Cheung questioned the necessity of his departure, noting public concerns over the financial burden of another election. Arthur said she would look into federal regulations on dual office-holding.
Council concluded the meeting by unanimously approving the first three readings of the updated election bylaw. A final decision on the byelection date and related procedures is expected at a future meeting.
