Yes, renters can vote in civic elections!
If you already voted in the last provincial election, you are on the voter’s list. Just show up on Saturday. Bring two pieces of ID, preferably a driver’s licence plus either a credit/debit card and a utility bill. Even if you are not on the list, you can affirm you are a White Rock resident at the polls.
Where do I vote?
The closest poll is Star of the Sea Centre just a block up the hill at 15362 Pacific.
Polls are open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Why should I care?
If you care about whether you can walk to vibrant shops up the hill, how fast your rent goes up or if more trees are cut down nearby, then you have plenty of reasons.
Mayoral candidate Wayne Baldwin supports more density in Town Centre to revitalize struggling businesses. For renters, more housing units mean more options if you must move and more supply helps restrain rents in White Rock. While there are legitimate issues about the speed of growth, an anti-density council would mainly please existing property owners who want to keep out more supply so their home values rise faster.
Many of us were dismayed by the cutting of trees at the west edge of our parking lot to enhance house views across the street. The cutting was done even though council had decided to rewrite its policy, but Lynne Sinclair, Al Campbell and Grant Meyer (whose signs are prominent across the street) voted to continue enforcing the policy and down came the trees. If the trees were important to you, we suggest you choose other candidates, such as Helen Fathers, who voted to suspend enforcement of the policy.
Where do I find more on where candidates stand?
Peace Arch News election coverage is at peacearchnews.com/news/election and the Vancouver Sun also has results of a questionaire of White Rock candidates. Individual candidates have their own websites and Facebook pages. You can contact Wayne Baldwin through his website at waynebaldwin.ca.
Too many tenants don’t vote and let councils get elected that don’t represent their best interests. Let’s change that.
– This is a message from Royal Villa Residents for Wayne Baldwin
