Would-be city councillors will be filing their nomination papers next week.
On Wednesday, May 27, nomination forms will be due at a temporary office being set up in St. Albert Centre.
“If we don’t receive a nomination form for a particular candidate between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. on nomination day then they’ve missed their opportunity to run in the byelection,” said Chris Belke. He is the city’s chief legislative officer and as such serves as the returning officer for the election.
So far, five candidates have made their intentions to run in the June 24 byelection to fill the seat vacated by Gilles Prefontaine.
Tash Taylor, 42, was the first out of the gate. She’s currently the executive director of the St. Albert Housing Society. This is the first time she’s run for St. Albert city council.
Bob Russell, 84, has sat on council a few times before. He unsuccessfully ran in 2013, coming eighth out of a field of 16. He’s a retired realtor and a current paralegal.
Edward Ramsden, 26, owns the St. Albert-based EnviroMasters Lawn Care, and this is his first St. Albert council run.
Natalie Mikus, 34, is a professional photographer. This is her first time running for St. Albert council.
Hughena Burke, 48, is the most recent addition to the race. The former ministerial assistant is running for the second time after placing 15th in a field of 16 candidates in 2013.
Candidates should be aware of rules around signs and finances.
For instance, signs shouldn’t appear before noon on nomination day, Belke said.
The city has several rules in place about the size and placement of signs.
A new financial rule instituted by the province since the last election is a need to file a form to register a candidate’s intent to run before collecting campaign contributions.
City staff suddenly have to plan an election, estimated to cost nearly as much as the general municipal election, in a lot less time than they would normally have.
“It’s a ton of work,” Belke said, noting before a general municipal election they start planning 18 months in advance and start doing the work 12 months before.
The byelection was set for June 24 at the May 4 council meeting, giving city staff under two months to pull things together. Belke likened the process to building an airplane while flying it.
Belke said part of the reason it’s so much work is because despite fewer candidates and only one open council seat, the scope is not dissimilar from planning a full municipal election.
“We have to be prepared to provide opportunities for every eligible voter in the city to vote if they choose to do so,” Belke said.
