With the cumbersome rules for non-residents...
If you are not on the City's List of Electors and qualify as a non-resident property elector you must register prior to voting. Non-resident property electors must obtain a "certificate to register" prior to voting by making an application for a "certificate to register" to the Chief Election Officer or his designate at the Legislative Services office, Victoria City Hall. Application for a certificate must be made between the hours 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays.
You must prove your identity (two pieces of personal identification, one of which must have your signature) and your eligibility to register (E.g. a property title deed or current City of Victoria property tax receipt; a letter of consent from joint owners, if applicable) when applying for a certificate.
...I'm not sure that they get many votes that way. [emphasis added]
No kidding!
I have another question.
The regulation that Rob Randall so helpfully quoted from states that, for non-resident voters, they must
"not [be] entitled to register as a resident elector."
That clause isn't completed with "in Victoria," nor "in [anywhere else]." So I'm wondering if it means that if you're
entitled to register as a resident elector anywhere else in BC, you're disqualified?
And if it
doesn't mean that, does it mean that you get to vote in multiple elections all over the province, just because you own property? How does that work, in terms of democracy and representation? Why should property ownership take precedence over residency (what G-man said about renters, too), and allow a resident of Oak Bay who owns property in several other municipalities to have multiple voting rights all over the place? Shouldn't it be enough that s/he can vote where s/he lives?
Basically, I'm asking, "does this person get two votes while average residents who
only own in their municipality get just one vote?"
Or does "not [be] entitled to register as a resident elector" really mean "not registered to vote somewhere else"?
Rob? Or someone at city hall?