The nomination period for candidates in the District of North Saanich municipal byelection is officially closed, and residents will have three candidates to choose from for one vacant councillor seat.
With nominations officially closing at 4 p.m. Friday (June 2), Raymon Farmere, a resident of Victoria, Ryan Lay, a resident of North Saanich, and Kristine Marshall, also a resident of North Saanich, are in the running to fill the council seat left vacant since Brett Smyth announced his immediate resignation on March 27.
According to a biography published on the district website, Farmere is a business administration and digital marketing teacher and campus director at Multihexa College in Victoria.
If elected, Farmere wants to seek grants from the province to increase emergency and police services in the district, assist with increasing affordable housing options, and find funding to increase the frequency of BC Transit services coming into and out of the community.
Lay has lived in the district since returning to the area in 2016, and is a lawyer by training. Lay is interested in community and how communities organize themselves to solve problems at the local level, and is excited to contribute in this way.
Marshall brings experience as a parliamentarian, strategic thinker and consensus builder according to the biography. Marshall believes the district plays a unique role in the southern Vancouver Island region, and its local policies should carefully consider forests, green spaces, farmland, marine areas and appropriate housing.
Full biographies and nomination packages for each candidate are available at northsaanich.ca.
Advance voting for the byelection will be held on June 28 and July 5, with general voting on July 8 at the municipal hall, 1620 Mills Rd. Polls for all voting days will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
READ MORE: North Saanich sets byelection date after councillor quits
READ MORE: North Saanich councillor who called mayor ‘Mr. Hitler’ is now resigning