The municipal election last weekend saw not only the election of a new mayor and council to oversee our fine city, but also a new board to oversee education in our region, as well.
Well, it almost did, anyway.
The Campbell River Board of Education is made up of elected Trustees from three electoral areas – five Trustees from Campbell River, one from Quadra Island/Cortes Island and one from the Sayward Valley.
As of the Mirror’s print deadline, however, Sayward Valley is reporting a tie between incumbent Trustee Barbara Bowbrick and challenger Gail Kirshner, so the final make-up of the board cannot be confirmed at this time.
A recount of the votes was scheduled to happen Tuesday after the Mirror went to press, with the results expected “before the end of the day on Wednesday,” according to Chief Election Officer for the Strathcona Regional District Tom Yates.
“Although (ties) happen infrequently, I have had to deal with deadlock situations previously,” he said. “In the event the results show a tie vote following (Tuesday’s recount), I will be applying for a judicial recount of the results,” which is a recount presided over by a judge of a superior court in the electoral district where the election was held, which must happen within four days of the application.
If the judicial recount determines the vote is, in fact, a tie, section 141 of the Local Government Act will go into effect, according to SD72 communications officer Jennifer Patrick, which means the candidates’ names will be written on pieces of paper, which are then folded up before one name is drawn by an independent representative.
The name on the piece of paper drawn will then be declared the winner of the election.
The Trustees elected from the Campbell River electoral region were Ted Foster, Daryl Hagen, John Kerr, Joyce McMann and Richard Franklin. Susan Wilson ran unopposed in the Quadra electoral region, and was therefore acclaimed in the position.
Foster, Hagen, McMann and Wilson were all incumbents who are returning to sit on the board for another term.
Previous board chair Michele Babchuk ran and was elected as a city councillor, while Linda Jay was the only incumbent Trustee to run for the position and not be re-elected.
Watch upcoming editions of the Mirror to learn more about what the board plans to do for the district over their term, or attend the first sitting of the new group on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at the SD72 office on Pinecrest Road, beside Rod Brind’Amour Arena.