Four candidates – Dolores Funk, Albert Gerow, John Rauch and Susan Schienbein – are hoping to become Burns Lake’s next mayor.
The nomination period for candidates wishing to represent the Village of Burns Lake, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) and School District 91 (Nechako Lakes) ended today at 4 p.m.
Burns Lake Mayor Chris Beach announced earlier this summer he would not be seeking re-election this fall.
READ MORE: Burns Lake mayor not running for re-election
Meanwhile Darrell Hill, Bruce Martens, incumbent Charlie Rensby, Kevin White and Henry Wiebe will be competing for the village’s four councillor spots.
Running to represent the RDBN’s Electoral Area E (Francois Lake/ Ootsa Lake rural) are Clint Lambert and incumbent Eileen Benedict.
Running to represent the RDBN’s Electoral Area B (Burns Lake rural) is Michael Riis-Christianson.
Bill Miller, the RDBN’s Chair and Director of Electoral Area B, has recently announced he will not be seeking re-election after representing the Burns Lake area at the RDBN for the past 10 years.
READ MORE: Director of Area B (Burns Lake rural) not seeking re-election
Hoping to represent School District 91’s Burns Lake and rural area is Rick Pooley, while Nyree Hazelton and incumbent Adele Gooding hope to become the next trustee for the Grassy Plains and Francois Lake area.
Running for school district trustee of Topley, Decker Lake and Granisle is incumbent Steve Davis, while Dave Christie and Doris Honeyman hope to represent the Enkado, Fraser Lake and Fort Fraser area.
This year the general election day falls on Saturday, Oct. 20. This is a change from previous years, when local elections took place on Nov. 15. The earlier election date is being implemented B.C.-wide this year.
School district and regional district elections take place the same day.
Voter turnout in local elections tends to be low. In the last general local election in Burns Lake, 628 voters cast their ballot — an estimated 41.5 percent of eligible voters, according to CivicInfo BC.
– With files from David Koch