Alternate Approval Process
Guidelines for Electors
Since the Regional District derives its authority to provide and pay for services from its constituent members it generally must obtain approval from the service participants (or proposed service participants) before it may proceed. While such approval may sometimes take the form of written consent from municipal council(s) or electoral area director(s), the most common form of approval is by assent of the electors. Assent of the electors is obtained when a majority of electors who vote in a referendum or other voting opportunity cast their ballots in favour of the proposition on the ballot. Assent of the electors may also be obtained when the requirement for a vote is dispensed with as a result of an Alternate Approval Process (AAP).
What is an Alternative Approval Process?
An AAP is a mechanism whereby the Regional District may ask the electorate for permission to proceed directly to adoption of a bylaw without the formal requirement of a costly and time-consuming vote. If less than 10 percent of the electorate petitions against adoption the Regional District is deemed to have obtained the assent of the electors and may proceed with adoption without further approvals. If at least 10 percent of the electorate petitions against the adoption of the bylaw it must be taken to a formal public vote before it may be adopted.
Who is eligible to participate in an AAP?
Anyone who qualifies as a resident elector or non-resident property elector within the area affected by the subject matter of the AAP may participate. In order to qualify as an elector a person:
- must be 18 years of age or older
- must be a Canadian citizen
- must be a resident of British Columbia for at least the last 6 months
- must be a resident of, or registered owner of real property within, the area affected by the AAP for at least the last 30 days
- must not be disqualified from voting by the Local Government Act or any other legislation
A person may not petition against the subject matter of an AAP more than once. In addition, corporations are not entitled to participate in an AAP.
How is the number of eligible electors determined?
The Regional District is required to make a fair determination of the number of electors affected by the AAP. The actual number of electors will vary from case to case depending on the specific municipalities and/or electoral areas participating in the service or initiative. The standard method for determining the total eligible voters within a given area is to use existing demographic data available through voter enumerations and other similar sources. Where these are not available the use of census and other data modified to fit local circumstances and eligibility requirements will be used. The number of electors required to force a referendum or other vote must be determined publicly by the Regional District, and a report outlining the methodology for the determination must be made available for public scrutiny.
How do I participate in the AAP?
Electors wishing to register their opposition to the proposal must submit their response on the prescribed form to the Regional District prior to the advertised deadline. Copies of the elector response form may be obtained from the office of the Regional District, by downloading from the Regional District’s website (www.rdffg.bc.ca), or at such other locations as may be identified in the official public notice.
Electors wishing to register their support for a proposal need not take any action…the absence of a response is deemed to indicate support for the proposal.
How do I complete the elector response form?
If qualifying as a resident elector please complete Part 1 of the form only. If qualifying as a non-resident property elector, please also complete Part 2 of the form.
Note: a person cannot qualify as a non-resident property elector if they qualify as a resident elector
In order to ensure that your elector response form is counted as valid please note the following:
- use your full legal name rather than abbreviations, initials or common (usual) names
Example: use Jonathan William Smith instead of J.W. Smith or John Smith or
John W. Smith
- use your full residential address including name of city/town, etc. Do not use PO Box number or other mailing address if different from the location of your home.
- sign and date the form.
- once the form has been completed it must be submitted to the corporate officer for the Regional District not later than the advertised deadline. Forms may be submitted in person or by mail. Completed forms submitted by facsimile (FAX) or by electronic means (ie: E-mail) cannot be counted.
- elector responses may only be made on the prescribed form, and must include all of the required information.
Please note that elector responses which are deficient in any material respect will be rejected as invalid. Respondents will NOT be notified if a response is rejected. A register of elector responses will be maintained by the Regional District and is available for public scrutiny during normal office hours and also by electronic means at www.rdffg.bc.ca
What happens after the response deadline?
Following the response deadline the Regional District’s corporate officer must determine and certify whether or not assent of the electors has been obtained.
If the number of valid responses meets or exceeds the required minimum number the Regional District must seek elector assent by voting before it may proceed with the bylaw or other matter which was the subject of the AAP.
If the number of valid responses is less than the required minimum number the Regional District is deemed to have received assent of the electors and may proceed with the bylaw or other matter which was the subject of the AAP.
Elector response forms received after the deadline will not be considered in the official count.
Further Questions?
Please contact the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George