‘A practical step’: Vancouver’s left-wing parties agree to limit election candidates

Three political parties have agreed to cap the number of candidates they run in this year’s election in an effort to prevent vote splitting.

Vancouver’s three established left-wing parties have not agreed on throwing their support behind a single mayoral candidate, but they have announced a plan to cap the number of candidates each will be running in the civic election.

On Wednesday, COPE, OneCity and the Green Party announced an agreement “aimed at ensuring limits on the total number of progressive candidates on the ballot.”

The ultimate goal, the parties said, is to replace Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC majority on council.

Each party has agreed to run a maximum of five council candidates, fielding a combined total of 15 for the 10 seats available. The parties have also agreed to cap the number of candidates on their slates for the seven-seat park board and nine-seat school board. No party will run more 13 candidates in total.

“This agreement reflects a shared commitment to collaboration while maintaining each party’s distinct voice and priorities,” OneCity co-chair Liz Locke said, in the statement. “OneCity sees this as a practical step to make sure progressive voters are best represented.”

COPE has not yet named a mayoral candidate, but Wednesday’s statement indicated an announcement on that front will be coming within weeks.

“In 2022, there were too many great council candidates and not enough great Mayoral candidates,” COPE’s Shawn Vulliez said, in the statement.

“We trust the voters to rally behind someone and show us who the strongest candidate is for mayor over the summer, and we trust them to vote for the progressive candidates that best represent their priorities in October.”

OneCity’s candidate for the top job is William Azaroff, a non-profit housing CEO and newcomer to electoral politics.

The Green Party is running Pete Fry, who has been on city council since 2018.

“Greens want a Vancouver that is more affordable, more livable, and more hopeful,” said the Green Party’s chair Nick Poppell, in the statement.

“This agreement helps give voters a clearer progressive choice while allowing each party to keep fighting for its vision of the city.”

Voters go to the polls on Oct. 17.