Vote 2026: Big changes on Chilliwack city council with at least 3 incumbents not running for re-election

New mayor certain as Ken Popove steps down, so far just councillor Jason Lum announces bid for city's top job

September 1, 2026

*Editor's note: This is an ongoing file about those who publicly announce campaigns for mayor or city council and will be edited as new announcements are made. If you notice someone missing or an error, send an email or otherwise get in touch, contact info below - PJH, September 1, 2026

Over the summer, residents would be forgiven for not knowing there's a local election this fall where voters across B.C. will pick mayors, councillors, rural area representatives, school trustees and in some communities, Cultus Lake for example, park board members. Not that anyone much pays attention with the lowest voter turnout of any level of government despite municipal issues being front and centre in our lives every day.

As of September 1, when nomination papers were officially allowed to be handed in, about a dozen had announced they were running for city council with just one incumbent confirming a candidacy. One incumbent councillor is running for mayor, two others say they will not run, with the final two so far quiet on re-election announcements.

Long-time city councillor Jason Lum was the first person to make anything public before the summer announcing his bid for the mayor's chair. Current mayor Ken Popove not only already said he will not run for another term, but he’s endorsing Lum.

Local elections across B.C. happen every four years, the last one was October 2022. On Oct. 17, 2026, voters will pick a new mayor and a new-look city council in Chilliwack and in municipalities across B.C. Specifically, in the City of Chilliwack there are 16 jobs to vote on: mayor, six city councillors, seven school board trustees, and two Cultus Lake Park Board commissioners.

People living in the Chilliwack River Valley, Popkum, and Cultus Lake will also be involved in the Chilliwack process in part where the local election officer will oversee elections for school board trustees for those living in Electoral Area D (Popkum, Bridal Falls), Area E (Chilliwack River Valley), and Area H (Columbia Valley, Cultus Lake, Lindell Beach).

(*Note: A previous version of this story stated that Chilliwack's chief electoral officer would be overseeing the election of FVRD directors for Area D, E and H, but she is only overseeing the election of school trustees for voters in those areas. The FVRD will oversee the elections of area directors. – PJH, Sept. 2, 2026)

Who’s running?

Ken Popove was first elected to city council in 2011 and served as a councillor until November 2018. That’s when he became mayor serving two terms at the helm of the city. He’s decided to step down.

Jason Lum was also first elected to city council in 2011 and has served on council ever since. As of September 1, Lum is the only person who has said he would run for mayor to replace Popove. More mayoral candidates are sure to come out of the woodwork in the coming days... maybe?

Below is a summary of responses received from other incumbents, last-name alphabetical, in response to questions asked back in June about whether or not they are running for re-election. Of course some things have changed. Below that is a summary of other individuals who have announced campaigns for city council with links to their websites.

Incumbents up for re-election

Chris Kloot has been a city councillor for three terms first being elected in 2014. He’s a lifelong Chilliwack resident and works as a realtor and a dairy farmer. When asked in Junevia email and messenger if he would run for re-election in 2026, no response was provided, but he did announce his bid for a fourth term on social media on September 2. His Facebook campaign page is Facebook.com/klootcares

Nicole Read was elected city councillor for her first term in November 2022. Read was raised on a dairy farm in Chilliwack. As a young adult, she managed her family’s retail sports store and at 25, she started her first business in the hospitality industry doing sales and marketing for hotels. When asked in June she was non-committal, but on August 31 she announced her campaign in a news release. Her website is nicolehuitemaread.ca

Incumbents stepping back

Bud Mercer has been a city councillor for two terms since being elected in 2018. Mercer is a retired RCMP officer serving as assistant commissioner and was chief operating officer for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. When asked if he’s running again, he did respond on June 11: “I don’t think I will be but plan to decide one way or the other in the very near future.”

Jeff Shields was on city council for two terms since being first elected in 2018. He’s a chartered accountant and a long-time resident who says he has been dedicated to serving Chilliwack since the 1990s. Two months ago, Shields said he would make his decision over the next couple of months. On August 30, he posted on Facebook that he would not seek re-election.

Maybe?

Harv Westeringh was first elected to council in 2018. He was born and raised in Chilliwack. He’s a developer and a realtor involved in several volunteering areas. He did not respond when asked if he would run for re-election. His Facebook campaign website is still up from 2022 and he has issued endorsements for two newcomers to city council. As of Sept. 1 this prompts questions: Does that mean he is not running? Or does it mean he's going to run for mayor?

New candidates (and one familiar face)

Here is a brief look at people who have announced candidacies for city council with links to publicly available websites or social media sites:

Danielle Beausoleil is a successful residential and commercial realtor with a history of community involvement in fundraising and non-profits. She is a long-time Chilliwack resident and mother of two. Her website is electdaniellebeausoleil.com

Darren Blakeborough has been a faculty member at the University of the Fraser Valley for 22 years, working as an assistant professor in the school of culture, media and society. He has lived in Chilliwack for 42 years, met his wife here, and his parents and siblings and their families live in the city. His website is voteblakeborough.ca

Brent Bowker of Yarrow is taking his second stab at making it on city council. Bowker lives in Yarrow with his family and he describes himself ass a "an outdoorsy energy-sector professional." Bowker ran for council in the 2022 election finishing 11th out of 12 candidates. His website is votebowker.ca

Steve Czeck is owner/CEO of Empyrion Technologies, an IT service provider. He has served 12 years on the board of City Life Church and two years on the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. His website is steveczeck.ca

Sue Knott is back. Knott spent 14 years on city council (known as Sue Attrill at the start) deciding not to run in the 2022 election. She has extensive experience in municipal government and serves as executive director of the Chilliwack Hospice Society. Her website is sueattrillknott.ca

Daryl Moniz is a Chilliwack realtor who has lived in Chilliwack for 25 years and is a Fraser Valley native. Moniz built a successful career in logistics before real estate, and he’s been involved on a number of local boards. His website is electdarylmoniz.ca.

Lisa Morry was a labour organizer with the Fraser Valley Labour Council and a former community newspaper reporter. She has been involved in several community groups volunteering and says until recently she worked in an academic library. Her website is lisamorry.com

Jared Mumford is a former Chilliwack School Board trustee and was the chair of the board. He is born and raised in Chilliwack, is the current president of the Rotary Club of Chilliwack, co-chair of Chilliwack Healthier Community and is also involved with a number of non-profit organizations throughout the community. His website is jaredmumford.ca

Ghazaleh Nozamani is a community advocate, construction project manager, trades leader, and immigrant-rights champion. Nozamani was born in Iran where as a young woman she was arrested and tortured by the country’s Revolutionary Guard after participating in pro-democracy student protests. Today she works in construction and founded Love Without Borders, a non-profit organization. Her website is ghazalehnozamani.com 

Luke Zandberg is a Chilliwack-raised husband, father of two and local business manager who has spent most of his life in the city. He says he has also spent years volunteering with Central Community church. His website is lukezandberg.ca

Candidates who haven't announced yet, but it's coming

Zeeshan Khan has been in Canada for 15 years, a maxillofacial surgeon by trade but not licensed in Canada. He has been working as an educational assistant in the Chilliwack School District and created the non-profit Streams Foundation, a non-religious, non-political organization to connect community members with newcomers. Khan was the Liberal Party of Canada candidate in the 2025 federal election finishing second with 35 per cent of the vote.

Rumours

Laurie Throness was elected MLA for the electoral district of Chilliwack-Kent as a BC Liberal in the 2013 provincial election. He served in that capacity for seven years finally resigning from caucus leading up to the 2020 provincial election before being fired for the latest in a string of controversial comments, this time comparing the NDP’s plan for free birth control to eugenics. He was elected to the Chilliwack School Board in the 2025 byelection called after Heather Maahs stepped down. In February 2026, after disgraced former trustee Barry Neufeld was given a $750,000 penalty from the BC Human Rights Tribunal for his ongoing campaign of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, Throness stepped down from school board claiming he was scared to serve lest he get in trouble for speaking his mind. He is rumoured to be planning a run for city council or even mayor or maybe he'll try for school board yet again. When asked about this, he declined to respond and had a little jab: “After some thought I don't want to engage politically with you.”

Tuesday, September 1, 2026, was the first day candidates were allowed to drop off paperwork to city hall, that explains the two or there who announced on Monday but there is lots of time left for others to make a decision, send out press releases and launch websites and social media pages. 

Nomination packages for the municipal elections can be downloaded from the city’s website and can be submitted now until Sept. 11 at 4 p.m.

The campaign period starts Friday, Sept. 18, 28 days before election day on Oct. 17.

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