Candidate Questions
This page was last reviewed on September 11, 2026.
This page is a summary of questions asked by candidates and potential candidates for the 2026 General Local Election as well as for previous voting. This page will be updated regularly so please check back.
2026 General Local Election
Candidate Nominations and Campaigning
Q. When can campaign signs go up?
The Village does not regulate when campaign signs can go up.
For candidate’s information,
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- candidates will be declared on September 11 shortly after 4p.m. by the chief election officer
- the Campaign Period established by Elections BC for local election financing starts September 19,
- the chief election officer will make a declaration of election by voting and/or acclamation at 4pm on September 21.
Q. Can a candidate appoint a financial agent after their nomination is accepted by the chief election officer?
Yes. BC Electoral Finance has confirmed that there are no time restrictions for when a candidate can appoint a financial agent, but there are requirements of whom should be notified.
Q. Is the residential address of a candidate’s nominators published on the Village website with a candidate’s nomination?
The Local Government Act requires that a candidates residential address not be disclosed to the public online. The Village also redacts the residential address of nominators. A person may inspect nomination documents at the Village office during regular office hours.
Q. How and when can a candidate withdraw their nomination?
A nominated candidate may withdraw from being a candidate at any time up until 4 p.m. on September 18, 2026 by delivering a signed withdrawal to the chief election officer, which must be accepted if the chief election officer is satisfied as to its authenticity.
After that time a candidate may only withdraw by delivering a signed request to the chief election officer, and the withdrawal must be approved by the Minister.
Q. As a current member of Council, what are the rules regarding using my @cumberland.ca email in my campaign literature? Am I allowed to hand out my Village business card.
The Corporate Officer advises to not use your Village email address as a contact for your campaign and to not use your Village business card. Your campaign is separate from Village business as a sitting council member.
Q. What are the rules for campaign signs on private property?
Elections BC regulates campaign financing through the Local Election Campaign Financing Act. The Elections BC website states: LECFA does not regulate when a candidate can start advertising, or where they can place signs. Candidates should contact their local authority as there may be specific bylaws regulating election advertising.
Signage on private property in the Village is regulated by the Zoning Bylaw.
Q. My bank says I must bring nomination papers with me to open an account. Are you able to provide nomination papers to me now?
Candidate nomination documents will not be available until late July at the earliest. Since the election period started on January 1, 2026 and the nomination period does not begin until September 1, 2026, your bank should not require nomination documents.
Refer to Elections BC, which oversees local election candidate campaign financing and reporting across the Province. You can reach their office at: 1-800-661-8683 or electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca
You can find the guide on campaign financing here: https://elections.bc.ca/docs/lecfa/guide-to-local-elections-campaign-financing-in-bc-for-candidates-and-their-financial-agents.pdf
Infrastructure and Asset Management
Q. Does the Village have a current lifecycle replacement plan or asset model showing the annual funding required to maintain or improve Cumberland’s road, water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure over the long term?
While the Village does maintain asset inventories and uses asset management planning to inform capital priorities, the Village does not have a complete asset management program at this point in time. This is a Council priority that is still outstanding and we are not in a position to share asset management data at this stage in development. Current modelling is still getting updated this year and once received, we will provide some strategic planning information for future projects. A staff report to understand long term infrastructure funding is an area the Director of Engineering and Public Works is planning to address later next year when some updated models and data sets are completed, and our asset management team can find ways to fund condition assessments.