Recall Threshold Tied to MLA Vote Total

Summary#

• This bill changes how people in British Columbia can try to recall a provincial Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

• It shortens how long you must wait after an election to start a recall, and it changes how many signatures a recall petition needs.

• If passed, it would take effect once it receives Royal Assent (formal approval).

• Key changes:

  • Allows recall efforts to start sooner after an election. Exact new waiting period: No publicly available information.
  • Changes the signature rule: a recall petition must get at least as many valid signatures as the number of votes the MLA received in the last election (from eligible voters in that district).
  • Keeps the rule that only eligible voters in the MLA’s district can sign.

What it means for you#

• Voters

  • You could start or join a recall sooner after an MLA is elected.
  • The number of signatures needed would match the MLA’s vote total from the last election, not a fixed share of all registered voters.
  • What this means in practice:
    • If an MLA won with fewer votes in a low-turnout race, the new rule could lower the bar for recall.
    • If an MLA won with a high vote total, the new rule could raise the bar for recall.
  • Example scenarios:
    • If an MLA got 10,000 votes, a recall would need at least 10,000 valid signatures.
    • If an MLA got 20,000 votes, a recall would need at least 20,000 valid signatures.

• MLAs

  • You could face recall efforts earlier in your term.
  • Your recall threshold would depend on your last election’s vote total: higher past support means a higher threshold; lower past support means a lower threshold.

• Community groups and organizers

  • Campaign planning would shift to match the MLA’s vote total, which is a known and clear target.
  • Districts with lower turnout may see recalls become more attainable than before; districts with very high support for the MLA may see them become harder.

• Elections BC

  • Could receive recall applications sooner after elections and would verify signatures against a new threshold tied to the MLA’s vote count.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Ties accountability to actual support: if an MLA got a certain number of votes, at least that many people should be needed to recall them.
• Makes recall more responsive by shortening the wait after an election, so voters are not locked out for as long.
• Uses a simple, easy-to-understand target (the MLA’s vote total) instead of a share of all registered voters.
• Could reduce barriers in low-turnout districts, where a fixed percent of all registered voters can be unrealistically high.
• Still sets a serious bar, because organizers must match the MLA’s original level of support.

Opponents' View#

• Could trigger more frequent recall efforts and extended campaigning, distracting MLAs from their work.
• Creates uneven standards across districts: low-turnout races make recall easier; high-turnout or landslide wins make recall much harder.
• Shortening the waiting period may encourage re-fighting election results soon after voting day.
• May increase administrative workload and costs for election officials and communities if more petitions are filed.
• Could make MLAs more cautious about taking tough early-term decisions due to a faster path to recall.