Thinking of running for Kelowna council? Candidate information session is tonight
A voter casts a ballot. Kelowna’s 2026 general local election will be held Oct. 17.
File photo
OKANAGAN — Kelowna residents considering a run for mayor or city council can learn more about what the job involves during a free candidate information session Wednesday evening.
The City of Kelowna is holding the first of two sessions Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Kelowna City Hall. The session will also be available online through Microsoft Teams. No registration is required.
A second session is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 6 p.m.
Staff from the Office of the City Clerk will provide an overview of council's role and responsibilities, the nomination and election process, key timelines and resources available to prospective candidates. Participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions.
The sessions come as interest in Kelowna's Oct. 17 election begins to take shape.
As of the City's latest count, 49 candidate information packages had been requested. The City updates the total at 3 p.m. each business day.
Requesting a package does not make someone an official candidate. Nomination papers can be submitted beginning Sept. 1 and must be filed by 4 p.m. Sept. 11. Candidates will be formally declared after the nomination period closes.
Kelowna voters will elect one mayor, eight councillors and four School District No. 23 trustees this fall.
Candidates must submit a $100 nomination deposit. Candidates seeking a City Council position require 10 eligible nominators, while school trustee candidates require two.
Advance voting will be available Oct. 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16, followed by general voting day on Saturday, Oct. 17.
The City is also reminding residents that Kelowna is using B.C.'s provincial voters list for the first time in a municipal election.
Residents who register on the provincial voters list by Aug. 18 will have a faster check-in process and will need to bring one piece of identification when they vote. People who are not registered by that date can still register at a voting location, but will need two pieces of identification.
Information about attending Wednesday's session online, candidate requirements and the 2026 election is available through the City of Kelowna's election website.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary is holding a public information session Wednesday evening on proposed housing-related changes to Christina Lake’s Official Community Plan.