Thinking of running for Kelowna city council? Learn how it works

With less than three months to the city council and school trustee elections, the City of Kelowna is giving prospective candidates a heads up on some timelines. 

It will offer free information sessions at 6 p.m. on August 12th and 19th giving an overview of what it’s like to serve as a councillor and how to run in the upcoming election.

Sessions will take place in Council Chamber at Kelowna City Hall (1435 Water Street) and will also be available online via Microsoft Teams. No registration is required, and links to join online will be posted on the election website on the day of each session.

The formal period to submit nomination papers to the Office of the City Clerk is September 1st to September 11th.

This fall, Kelowna voters will elect a mayor, eight councillors and four school trustees for School District No. 23.

Anyone interested in running for office is encouraged to visit kelowna.ca/election to download the candidate information package. It outlines who’s eligible to run, how the nomination process works, and what to expect before, during and after an election. Packages are also available in person at Kelowna City Hall, 1435 Water Street.

“Serving your community is a meaningful way to help shape the future of Kelowna,” said Michael Jud, Chief Election Officer.

“We encourage people who are curious about running to learn more about the role and the election process so they can make an informed decision.”

To be eligible to run for local office, candidates must be a Canadian citizen, be at least 18 years old on election day, have lived in British Columbia for at least six months before the nomination date, and not be disqualified from holding office.

Nomination papers must be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk beginning 9 a.m. on September 1 and closes at 4 p.m. on September 11.