Residents of Fort St John will have the opportunity to vote for a Conservative-endorsed candidate during the next municipal election after a new electoral organizer was registered with Elections B.C.
The party was registered as the Conservative Electors Association, but the municipal group will be nicknamed the ‘Conservative Association’ or ‘Conservatives.’ A statement from the association clarified that it is “independent from other federal and provincial political parties,” referencing the B.C. Conservatives and Conservative Party of Canada – both of whom also operate independently of one another.
Fort St John was among several cities that David Denhoff, the authorized principal officer for the municipal Conservatives and former deputy director of the provincial iteration of the party, registered as an electoral organizer in. The party is also allowed to appear on ballots in other cities, including Kamloops, Langley, and Prince George.
Electoral organizers are allowed to endorse candidates in municipal elections, meaning in Fort St John’s next race for mayor, one person may be labelled as a Conservative on the ballot.
Elections B.C. said they manage electoral organizations and review the groups’ annual financial reports, “including campaign contributions received and all expenditures incurred.” The organizers are subject to specific financial guidelines to ensure a fair race in city-run elections, where candidates typically don’t have access to party endorsement or the funds associated with this type of backing.
Organizers can also only accept contributions from people who are eligible to vote in municipal or regional elections, this means only B.C. residents who are citizens or have permanent residence status can donate to the civil political party.
The Conservative Electors Association said it wants to endorse candidates who support traditional, right-wing, conservative values.
“The decision to formally register as an elector organization builds on the enormous momentum of the conservative movement in recent years. Proactively registering as an elector organization will protect the integrity of the Conservative name,” it said. The organization also claimed it intends to solely focus on local issues.
The municipal Conservatives will not appear on the ballot until the next general election in Fort St John, which is scheduled for October of next year.
