A registered elector organization, a group of voters, can officially support a candidate on the ballot by submitting all the required endorsement documents to the Chief Election Officer and Elections BC during the nomination period. Only elector organizations that are officially registered with Elections BC can file endorsement documents, accept campaign donations or spend money on election activities. To register, the organization must have at least fifty members who are eligible voters, either residents or non-resident property owners, at the time they submit their registration to Elections BC.
An elector organization cannot endorse more candidates than there are positions available in the election, and a candidate can only be endorsed by one elector organization. Candidates who are endorsed must agree to the endorsement by signing the endorsement documents, which the elector organization then submits to the Chief Election Officer and Elections BC.
Election Campaigns
An election campaign is a series of activities aimed at getting a candidate or group of candidates elected to a local government position, such as a city council or regional district board. These activities can include advertising, going door-to-door to talk to voters, holding meetings and giving speeches.
As a candidate during a local election, you will likely run your own campaign. You can hire a campaign manager and recruit volunteers to help with tasks like handing out flyers, calling voters, managing event details and other campaign-related work. You have a lot of freedom in how to organize your campaign, as long as you follow the rules and avoid breaking any election or campaign finance laws.
Third Party Advertising and Financing Rules
A third-party sponsor is a person or group that runs election advertising on their own, separate from any candidate or political organization. They must operate independently and cannot work together with, or run ads for, a candidate or political group. If a third-party sponsor wants to run election ads during the pre-campaign or campaign periods, they must first register with Elections BC.
Campaign Financing Rules
Visit Elections BC for guides for local elections and how third-party sponsors work in BC. They have information about the campaign financing rules, offences and penalties that apply to third party sponsors.
