The District of Kitimat has launched a push to get youth engaged in the election process and boost overall voter turnout in Kitimat.
The Dog Mayor campaign features two local canines up for the ceremonial, and certainly unofficial, position of Dog Mayor. With these unique candidates on leash, District staff have been visiting local schools to share information about what elections are, what local governments do, and to share that no matter your age you can vote for the Dog Mayor.
In all, the District has directly reached more than 450 students of all ages through these presentations, while growing community awareness through the District's website and social media pages.
The dog candidates will also appear during the Canada Day Parade on July 1.
"Through this engagement we are encouraging youth to be a part of the election process," says Kitimat's appointed Chief Election Officer Tracy Tavares. "The goal is to inspire young people to be future voters, and in the process bring out their whole family on election day this year - especially those who are eligible to vote in the actual general local election."
In 2022, voter turnout for Kitimat was just above 21 per cent..
There is no voter eligibility requirement for Dog Mayor beyond simply attending a voting location in Kitimat on Saturday, October 17.
To be eligible to vote for the official Mayor and Council, a voter must be 18 years of age, be a Canadian citizen, have been a resident of B.C. for at least six months, and be either a resident or non-resident elector who has owned property in the municipality for at least thirty days prior to the General Local Election.
