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Influx of candidates for Regional District of Bulkley Nechako's (RDBN) election

Voters heading to the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako's (RDBN) polls on Nov. 19, have no shortage of candidates to choose from.

Voters heading to the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako's (RDBN) polls on Nov. 19, have no shortage of candidates to choose from.

There are three empty seats on the RDBN's board of directors and eight hopeful candidates registered.

According to Cheryl Anderson, RDBN's chief election officer, incumbents  Bill Miller, director of area B, Burns Lake rural, Tom Greenaway director of area C, Fort St. James rural, Ralph Roy director of area D, Fraser Lake rural and Jerry Petersen, director of area F, Vanderhoof rural have already secured the other four seats on the board by acclamation.

As no one else, aside from the incumbent directors from areas B, C, D and F registered as a candidate for the election, there is no contest for these seats.

In total there is 15 seats on the RDBN's board of directors.

Eight of the seats are filled after the Nov. 19 election by municipal directors, while seven are open to elected rural directors.

Anderson said that usually elected mayors of the eight municipalities within the RDBN fill the municipal director's seats, however this is not always the case.

"Typically it is the mayor of the municipality that sits on the board, but it is up to each individual council to decide who will represent them," she said, adding that sometimes a municipal councillor takes the RDBN board seat.

There are two candidates running for the seat of electoral area E, Francois/Ootsa rural.

Local residents Steve Freeman and Tim Maertz have registered for the area E seat, that is currently held by Eileen Benedict, who is also a Village of Burns Lake councillor.

Area A, Smithers rural also has three candidates running for election.

Smithers residents, Eugene Bekar and Shelley Browne as well as incumbent Stoney Stoltenberg, a resident of Telkwa are all hoping to secure the Smithers rural seat, while area G, Houston rural has two candidates, incumbent Lance Hamblin whose seat is being contested by Rob Newell.

Both are residents of Houston.

Anderson said that advance polling stations will be set up for the area E, Francois/Ootsa rural election at the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako office, on Third Avenue in Burns Lake, as well as at the Grassy Plains Elementary Junior School.

Advance polling stations will be open on Nov. 9 only.

On Nov. 19, polling stations for the area E election will be set up at the Francois Lake Elementary School, Grassy Plains Elementary Junior School and Trout Creek Hall,