KELOWNA – It is a citizen’s right, to vote in elections.
However, when an Okanagan couple tried to vote in an advance poll, they were denied.
O’Connell and his wife meet all the criteria required to vote in a municipal election but it’s the type of housing they live in that got them turned away.
O’Connell says the elections officer told him he couldn’t vote because his property is registered as a corporation.
“I was very upset my wife was with me, we have always voted,” says O’Connell.
The couple live in Ewing’s Landing, about halfway between Kelowna and Vernon along Westside Road.
Ewing’s Landing is made up of 25 homes.
Similar to a strata, the homes belong to a company called Ewing’s Landing Estates Limited and the homeowners are all shareholders.
“The property came up as a corporation and under section 49.3 of the local Government Act, corporations are not entitled to vote,” says Bruce Smith.
Smith is the spokesperson for the Central Okanagan Regional District.
He says the district has since sought legal advice and determined as long as the residents could prove residency, they could cast ballots.
“We have informed people that were involved that they would be allowed to vote and apologized obviously for the inconvenience,” says Smith.
Residents of Ewing’s Landing will be allowed to vote in Saturday’s municipal election between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Polling stations include Killiney Beach Community Hall and Constable Neil Bruce Middle School.
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