13 local politicians were elected to the B.C. Legislature. Not all are giving up their municipal roles

Two mayors, six city councillors, four school board trustees and one local area director have all won a government upgrade to the legislature in Victoria, meaning byelections are expected in those communities — but not all.

Misty Van Popta, a councillor with the Township of Langley, says she will handle both roles for the remainder of her two-year local government stint.

She told CBC News byelections are costly for municipalities and often have low voter turnout.

"As there's not a lot of crossover between votes at a municipal level vs provincial level, I feel it's important to honour the position I was elected for in 2022," she wrote in an email to CBC News.

Elections B.C. said there are no rules in B.C.'s Election Act prohibiting politicians from being elected in two places at once, such as a school board trustee or local councillor and as an MLA.

The Election Act does not require them to resign if they are also elected as an MLA.

"Other legislation or local bylaws may apply, but those are outside of our mandate," wrote Andrew Watson, senior director of communications for Elections B.C., in an email to CBC News.

In 1995, NDP MLA Denis Streifel brought a private members bill called the Dual Elected Office Prohibition Act, which would have required elected local politicians to resign upon being elected as an MLA. It did not pass.

Current MP Jenny Kwan is one example of a politician who held two elected positions at once. She did it for the last six months of her term as a Vancouver city councillor in 1996 when she was elected as an MLA.

"Instead of triggering a byelection, I elected to serve out my term," she said in a statement, which also described the challenge of juggling both roles.

Kwan attended to council business until she needed to be in Victoria in late June of 1996 for the legislative sitting.  

"Thereafter, I sought and received leave to be absent from council meetings," she said. "To ensure there was no double dipping, I also did not accept my council salary upon being elected provincially."  

As of April of this year, the annual basic compensation each B.C. MLA receives is $119,532.72

Allan Neilson, who is a local government consultant, said it can be tough for local governments to lose elected officials halfway through a term.  He said those who choose to stay on need to find a delicate balance in matters such as a municipality applying to the province for grants.