View Royal residents can cast their vote early in the byelection to replace Heidi Rast as councillor.
Advance polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the View Royal Town Hall, 45 View Royal Ave.
Six people are vying for Rast’s seat on council. They are: Mark Brennan, a retired municipal administrator; Nathan Daisley, a University of Victoria political science student; Adam Flint, a graphic technician; Angela Hanes, a group benefits adviser; Saanich police Det. Const. Damian Kowalewich and real estate agent Jodi Zwicker.
The winner of the byelection will be on council until October 2018, when B.C.’s next municipal elections will be held.
Rast, who served on council for nine years, moved to Prince Edward Island to take a job with a biopharmaceutical company.
The byelection is being held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at View Royal elementary school on Helmcken Road.
View Royal Mayor David Screech said he is impressed with the range of people running in the community of about 10,800.
“I think it’s great that we’ve got six very good candidates,” said Screech. “It’s exciting to see that many come forward. It shows that there’s a real interest in View Royal and in the local government of View Royal.”
Transportation and transit are big issues in the municipality, said the mayor.
A number of residents are also concerned about what will happen when the Choices transitional homeless shelter, located in View Royal at the former youth jail, closes down at the end of December.
“There’s the whole concern over what B.C. Housing will do with the site long term,” said Screech.
