‘Vote No’ signs appeared on Highway 97, heading south into 100 Mile House, on Tuesday, June 5, just four days before the scheduled referendum for the proposed expansion of the South Cariboo Recreation Centre.
The Cariboo Regional District responded on Facebook by lunch-time Tuesday, reminding residents of the rules surrounding advertising that encourages a particular vote outcome.
According to the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act (LECFA), a sponsor wishing to advertise for such a vote must register with Elections BC beforehand.
Additionally, any paid or sponsored advertisements must include the sponsor’s name and mailing or email address along with the words “Authorized By” and “Registered Sponsor under LECFA.”
Within 90 days following the vote, sponsors must file a financial disclosure statement to maintain transparency with the public.
Andrew Watson, communications manager at Elections BC, confirmed Tuesday that no such sponsors had yet registered for the 2018 South Cariboo Recreation Centre non-election assent voting.
“We have received a few inquiries on this particular case and we’re looking into those now to determine whether or not they constitute sponsorship and whether or not the requirements apply,” said Watson.
If someone decides to create hand-made signs, pamphlets or other “small-scale activities,” he said these do not necessarily constitute as sponsoring ads.
“In cases like this, our first step is always education … that’s the approach we’re taking here.”
If Elections BC determines these signs do fall within the sponsorship definition, Watson said the next step would be finding out who posted them, educating them about the requirements and working with them to meet those requirements.
“In most cases like this when we have someone who may not be aware of the rules, we achieve compliance through education,” he said.
LECFA outlines offences for cases that extend beyond compliance, according to Watson, and he said Elections BC takes potential violations seriously.
Should the case escalate, he said they would open an investigation, but for now, they’re “not at that stage yet.”
