As a trustee candidate for School District 22 for Lumby, Electoral Area D and Electoral Area E, I am concerned that there is no plan for a polling station for Cherryville/Electoral Area E.
I have written a letter to School District 22, Village of Lumby and Regional District of North Okanagan expressing my concerns and asking for them to reconsider this decision. Simply issuing a statement advising voters in Cherryville that if they wish to cast their vote for a School Trustee that they must go to the Village of Lumby leaves voters feeling frustrated and excluded. I have asked the three governing bodies why this decision was made and what it would take to reverse the decision.
Cherryville is a small rural community. The elementary school serves as one of the foundations of that community and because of this, the vote for our School Trustees are just as important as a vote for the Electoral Director and should warrant a polling station on Oct. 20.
Parents and voters should have the opportunity to cast their vote in their community. Voters from Cherryville need to and want to be heard through their voting choice and making them drive 25 minutes to Lumby feels like their ability to vote from within their community has been taken away. It feels unjust. As a potential trustee, I want the parents and residents of Cherryville to feel a part of School District 22 and this an opportunity to let them know we value their opinion.
I know there are residents in Cherryville who volunteer for the provincial and federal elections and I’m confident there will be no issue in recruiting volunteers to man a municipal election polling station. I would gladly volunteer to help find these volunteers and organize the voting station.
As a school trustee candidate, I am asking School District 22, the Village of Lumby and the Regional District of North Okanagan to reconsider their decision and set up a polling station for Saturday, Oct. 20 so residents of Cherryville can get out and express their constitutional right to vote.
Sheri Minard
School District 22 Trustee Candidate