Richmond city council has been given the authority from the province to allow widespread mail-in voting in the upcoming byelection.
Citing the pandemic and the need for physical distancing – and that in-person voting increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 - the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Josie Osborne, signed the ministerial order on Tuesday.
Normally, mail-in voting is limited to those with physical disabilities and those who will be travelling during the election.
The byelection will be held on May 29 to replace Kelly Greene who stepped down from council after being elected to the provincial legislature in October.
The city is planning advance polls as well.
So far, four candidates have declared their intention to run for the council position: Andy Hobbs, John Roston, Ken Hamaguchi and Karina Reid.
The nomination period is from April 13 to 23 during which time candidates must file their paperwork.
The nomination packages, however, are now available for pickup, by appointment, or online.
The budget for the byelection has been set at $716,000.
