The Greater Kelowna riding association for the B.C. Green Party is looking for candidates who will run in three separate Central Okanagan ridings during the fall election.
Currently, the BC Green Party only has two candidates: party leader Sonia Furstenau and Adam Olsen, both representing Vancouver Island ridings.
Currently, Kelowna-West, Kelowna-Mission and Kelowna-Lake Country do not have Green candidates.
After the election was announced, Furstenau called the decision “irresponsible and unnecessary”.
“He has to realize that he is out of touch with reality for most British Columbians right now,” she said.
“I met with (John Horgan) on Friday and told him he had a stable government. This election is completely unnecessary. The NDP has chosen the pursuit of power over the health and safety of British Columbians.”
Greater Kelowna riding association chairman Tom Warshawski said they, along with the rest of the province, did not expect John Horgan to call an “unnecessary” election.
“Quite clearly, this is going to put people at an increased risk when they go to polling booths and it seems reckless to call this election,” he said.
“Our plan as a party and we thought we had a year to do this, was to spend more time expanding our voter base here in the Okanagan, spend more time meeting with people who are interested in perhaps being candidates.”
But instead of a year, Warshawski said those interested in running for the Green candidacy for the three ridings will only have until Saturday noon, Sept. 26.
“It’s a very abbreviated timeline and it’s unfortunate that this was put upon us, but we don’t want to shut people out just because Horgan caused this rush in terms of getting candidates.”
“So we have this tight timeline, we’re going to see who’s interested and we want to give them a fair shake at this but we have to have a decision made by Monday morning,” Warshawski said.
If you are interested in running for the Green candidacy in the three Central Okanagan ridings or if you would like to volunteer with the party, email the riding association at kel@bcgreens.ca or call 250-212-3039.
READ: Citing stability, B.C. Premier calls snap election for Oct. 24