What’s the Latest: Lumby to hold mayoral byelection after two back-to-back elections
Kevin Acton won the mayoral election in Lumby on October 17 and shortly after secured a seat in the legislature as the Conservative MLA for Vernon-Lumby on October 24. His departure will lead to a mayoral byelection in Lumby, with voting expected in early 2024.
The byelection to replace Kevin Acton as Lumby’s mayor is projected for late January to early February of next year, with an estimated cost of between £5,000 and £10,000. Until a new mayor is elected, Lumby will operate under an acting mayor system with existing councillors rotating in the role.
Kevin Acton has announced he will personally cover the expected cost of the upcoming mayoral byelection in Lumby, estimated at between £5,000 and £10,000, stating, “I don’t want to put that responsibility on the taxpayer of Lumby.” The byelection is anticipated to take place in late January or early February, resulting in several months without an elected mayor.
What remains unclear — It is not specified when exactly the byelection for Lumby’s mayor will be held beyond the indication of late January to early February.
Lumby to hold mayoral byelection following recent elections
Lumby residents will face another election as Kevin Acton, recently re-elected as mayor, is set to take on a new role as the Conservative MLA for Vernon-Lumby. Acton won the mayoral race on October 17 and secured his provincial seat just a week later, on October 24. He indicated that he had planned to run in provincial politics but did not anticipate such a quick transition. “All along, the plan was to run provincially… We just expected it to be two years from now, not a week after the election,” he said.
With Acton’s move to the provincial legislature, Lumby will hold a byelection to fill the mayoral position. Chief financial officer Bobbe Koenig stated that the byelection is expected to occur “at the end of January, early February.” In the interim, an acting mayor system will be implemented, with current councillors rotating responsibilities similar to arrangements made during the mayor’s absences.
The byelection is projected to cost between £5,000 and £10,000. Acton has committed to covering these expenses personally, stating, “I don’t want to put that responsibility on the taxpayer of Lumby.” He explained that the situation was not anticipated: “It was the situation I was put in.”
Local residents have reacted to the news of yet another election with mixed feelings. Ann Verhage acknowledged a sense of fatigue, answering, “Sort of, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” However, Paul Gilfillan expressed a lack of concern about returning to the polls. Irene Yaremcio joked about her weariness with the voting process, hoping it would be the last time in the near future.
Acton is expected to be sworn in as an MLA in mid-November, marking his transition from local to provincial politics. He expressed enthusiasm about his new role, saying, “I feel really excited… I’m really excited to get to work.”