The seat was vacated in October when Dana Lajeunesse was elected as an NDP MLA for Juan de Fuca-Malahat.
Nearly nine months after losing a councillor to provincial politics, Sooke residents have started casting their ballots for a replacement at municipal hall.
The seat to serve Sooke’s 15,086 residents was vacated in October when Dana Lajeunesse was elected as an NDP MLA for Juan de Fuca-Malahat.
A byelection was delayed to avoid having two in a row in the event Mayor Maja Tait had won her bid to be elected in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke in the April federal election.
Advance voting to pick one of seven candidates got underway on July 2 and continued on Wednesday, with general voting day scheduled for Saturday at Edward Milne School. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Whoever wins the byelection will have about 15 months to serve before the next municipal election.
The candidates on the ballot are:
Shaun Burns, a startup worker with a retail background who moved to Sooke as a new homeowner three years ago.
Nick Dickinson-Wilde, an East Sooke small business owner and karate instructor and a former Green candidate.
Herb Haldane, a building contractor and Sooke councillor from 2008 to 2014. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2014.
Nathan McKeown, a Sooke resident for 40 years who worked in construction and project management.
Elaine Price, a retired nurse and health-care operations director, and a current health-care consultant.
Helen Ritts, who has served on city committees and local boards and worked in marketing for an urban planning firm.
Katherine Strongwind, a small business owner and former executive director for the Songhees Nation and provincial ministry advisor.
A special voting opportunity was scheduled for Thursday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. for residents of Ayre Manor Lodge on Ayre Road.
On Saturday, curbside voting is available at the general voting site. If residents can travel to Edward Milne School but find it difficult to get into the building, an election official will bring out a ballot.
[email protected]