The next reign of local leaders are expected to be named Saturday night, as the 2022 municipal election gets underway in Fernie, Sparwood and Elkford.
In Fernie, incumbent mayor Ange Qualizza faces off against challenger Nic Milligan, while 14 candidates (including three incumbents) vie for six council seats.
Sparwood sees incumbent mayor David Wilks challenged by political returnee Hungry Baytaluke, while four incumbent councillors seek to return to council, and five newcomers seek the community’s support.
In Elkford, two councillors – Steve Fairbairn and Mandy McGregor – believe they have what it takes to replace outgoing mayor Dean McKerracher. In the council race, there are two incumbents running, and five newcomers, making for a tight race of seven candidates for six seats.
For all the places between the municipalities in the Elk Valley, residents will vote for a new Area A director, with Mike Sosnowski retiring. There are three candidates for that role: Thomas McDonald, Lee-Anne Walker, and Hungry Baytaluke.
Polls are open in all three communities and for Area A from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Where can you vote?
FERNIE
Voting takes place at the Fernie Senior Citizens Drop-In Centre at 562 3rd Ave, between 8am and 8pm.
SPARWOOD
Voting for elected officials in the District of Sparwood will take place on October 15, with voting at Sparwood Recreation and Leisure Centre (the Henry Volkmann Memorial Complex) between 8am and 8pm, on the Arena Concourse.
ELKFORD
Voting on Oct. 15 will be available at the Elkford Community Conference Centre (750 Fording Drive), from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
AREA A
Voting takes place between 8am and 8pm on October 15.
Best Western Fernie Mountain Lodge - 1622 7 Ave., Fernie
Causeway Bay Hotel - 102A Red Cedar Dr., Sparwood
Hosmer Community Hall - 7431 6 Ave., Hosmer
Who you can vote for?
FERNIE
Fernie election: Coverage of candidates and questions
SPARWOOD
Sparwood election: Candidates and coverage
ELKFORD
Elkford election candidate and forum coverage
AREA A
You can find an elections FAQ page for questions like what kind of identification to bring for all three communities on their websites. Here they are, hyperlinked: Fernie, Sparwood, and Elkford.
What happens once polls close?
After 8 p.m. local time, election officials will begin counting and tallying the ballots.
Check out our website and Facebook page for full coverage of the results once polls close.