An Area C South Shuswap candidate for election to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) board no longer wishes to run.
Richard Norman advised attendees of his intention to withdraw from the municipal race at an all-candidates meeting held Tuesday night at Sorrento Memorial Hall.
Norman also made his intention known in a letter to CSRD’s deputy manager of corporate administration and chief election officer Lynda Shykora.
“In terms of the process under legislation which applies to the election, the Minister of Community, Sport & Cultural Development has been notified of the candidate’s withdrawal letter,” wrote Shykora in a Nov. 5 press release. “The minister may or may not allow the candidate to withdraw depending on the circumstances.”
Norman’s withdrawal is not effective until approved by the minister.
Shykora expects the minister’s office will have a decision to the CSRD in a fairly short time.
Whatever the decision, Norman’s name will remain on the ballots, which have already been made and cannot be defaced.
“If Minister Coralee Oakes says she has accepted his withdrawal, we will advise every voter who comes to vote that he has withdrawn and is no longer a candidate,” says Shykora. “If she says it’s too late in the game or there is non-sufficient reason, Mr. Norman will need to let people know he really doesn’t want to be elected.”
Shykora says if Norman is not given the OK to withdraw, and if people do vote for him on general voting day or during the advance voting, the votes for him will be counted as valid.
Meanwhile, Karen Brown, general manager of the South Shuswap Chamber of Commerce, was pleased with Tuesday night’s all-candidates meeting and the manner in which is proceeded.
She says more than 100 people from a good cross-section of the community asked questions dealing with issues of importance.
Brown says the most critical message the chamber would like to get out is the importance of voting.
“We can’t be complacent,” she said, urging her fellow citizens to exercise their democratic right on voting day, Saturday, Nov. 15.