Monday August 1, 2022 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated 7:30 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
On this hot long weekend, the new Langford coalition of candidates that call themselves Langford NOW officially endorsed their fifth candidate to contest municipal elections this fall.
This weekend Mark Morley has joined ranks with fellow candidates Kimberley Guiry, Colby Harder, Mary Wagner, and Keith Yacucha, who have worked their way into the Langford political scene over the past year — mostly by making comments at Langford council meetings, but also working with the SD62 school district on ‘active transportation’.
Mary Wagner and Colby Harder have been the main leads for this group, trying to edge into the Langford political mainstream.
Langford NOW describes itself as “a grassroots community movement for an accountable Langford that balances development with infrastructure, social, and environmental needs”.
They’re evidently hoping to knock off at least one incumbent councillor, to start tipping the energy and direction of Langford council.
Current Councillor Szpak supports women in politics:
Political news followers might recall a verbal fist-a-cuffs between Langford Mayor Stew Young and long-time Langford Councillor Lillian Spzak at a recent livestreamed council meeting. Political pressure has been building, as the 2022 municipal election season builds up.
Szpak told Island Social Trends back in April that she is helping organize more women to enter local politics, and that being on Langford Council is like being a ‘lightning rod’ for getting things done in the community.
Szpak has not formally or publicly associated herself with the Langford NOW group.
Langford Council:
Langford Council has seven seats: mayor and six councillors. The current council is comprised of Langford Mayor Stew Young, and councillors Denise Blackwell, Matt Sahlstrom, Lanny Seaton, Norma Stewart, Lillian Szpak, and Roger Wade.
Other than Norma Stewart, the rest of council has been elected several times, for multiple terms.
Stew Young has been the mayor since 1992.
Election 2022:
The Elections BC official BC municipal pre-campaign period began July 18.
The candidate nomination period for the 2022 General Local Elections starts on August 30 and goes until September 9.
The nomination process in local elections is administered by local election officials, not Elections BC, explains Elections BC.
See all Elections BC key dates for 2022 General Local Elections.
The municipal election is set for Saturday October 15, 2022.
===== RELATED:
Langford NOW up to four candidates (June 25, 2022)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends has been publishing socioeconomic news insights since 2008 (first as MapleLine Magazine 2008-2010, then Sooke Voice News 2011-2013, then West Shore Voice News 2014-2020), launching fully online at islandsocialtrends.ca in mid-2020.
Founding editor and publisher is Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Cert PR. She has covered municipal elections in Sooke and the west shore since 2011.
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