BC Conservatives promise to ban overlapping elections

The BC Conservatives have vowed to bar the provincial government from calling an election that would interfere with municipal campaigns.

The move comes on the heels of widespread criticism directed at David Eby and the BC NDP over their decision to send British Columbians to the polls twice in one month.

"Three weeks ago, David Eby called a cynical snap election," BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson said in a video posted to X, calling it a "desperate attempt to cling to power."

He drew attention to the fact that Election Day takes place just one week after polls close for the municipal contests, and that advanced voting days fall on the same day as the local races end.

"That wasn't by accident — it was a calculation," Doerkson continued. "It was an irresponsible and selfish one."

He went on to announce that, if elected to form government, the BC Conservatives would introduce the "Respect Local Democracy Act" to ensure "this never happens again."

If passed, it would "permanently separate provincial and municipal elections" to ensure the former — snap or scheduled — cannot be scheduled within 60 days of the latter.

"No premier of any party will be able to do this to you again," Doerkson said. "Our democracy needs room to breathe, voters need space to hear from the people who want to represent them, candidate need a fair chance to be heard."

Eby has defended his decision to call a snap election by pointing out that his one-seat majority technically meant every vote was a tie and that the government could have bene taken down at any moment.