White Rock mayor Megan Knight's name removed from October 17 municipal ballot

White Rock Mayor Megan Knight's name has been removed from the October 17 municipal election ballot following approval from the B.C. Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, a move described as highly unusual and rare.

Knight, elected mayor in 2022, announced last week that she would run for the Conservative Party of British Columbia in the Surrey South provincial seat — a race scheduled for October 24, seven days after the municipal election. Her announcement came days after the City of White Rock's September 18 deadline for municipal candidates to withdraw from the ballot.

With Knight's name removed, the October 17 mayoral race will feature two candidates: Susan Bains, a current city councillor with Together for White Rock, and Chris Shields, a realtor.

The provincial approval and removal avoid potential voter confusion, given that Knight's name would have otherwise appeared on both civic and provincial ballots within a week of each other. Until the ministry's approval, coverage as recently as September 26 indicated Knight's name would remain on the municipal ballot despite her provincial ambitions.

The ministry's decision to approve the post-deadline withdrawal appears unprecedented — the city confirmed receipt of formal approval from the province, but the specific rationale for granting the exception remains unclear.