White Rock Mayor Megan Knight finds herself in a politically unusual position this fall: her name will appear on two separate ballots — one municipal, one provincial — within the span of a single week. The B.C. Conservatives have confirmed Knight as their candidate for the riding of Surrey South, with the provincial election set for October 24 and the local election following just one week earlier, on October 17.
No law prevents a candidate from running simultaneously in both races. What the law does prohibit, following legislation passed by the B.C. government in May of last year, is holding both offices at the same time. That legislation was a direct response to the case of Misty Van Popta, who chose to retain her seat as a Township of Langley councillor after winning a B.C. Conservative MLA seat in 2024 — a decision that drew sharp criticism from political rivals, including NDP MLA Darlene Rotchford, who had voluntarily resigned her own council seat upon her election to the legislature. Van Popta was one of thirteen local politicians elected provincially that cycle, but the only one who held onto both positions.
Knight’s path to this moment is not without precedent. She served as a White Rock city councillor from 2014 to 2018 before winning the mayor’s chair in 2022. She has also tested provincial waters before, seeking the BC Liberal nomination for Surrey-White Rock in 2020 — a race that ultimately produced Conservative MLA Trevor Halford as the winner.
Surrey South itself carries some political baggage heading into this election. The riding’s most recent incumbent, Brent Chapman, announced earlier this week that he is departing the B.C. Conservative caucus for the newly formed OneBC party, leaving the seat open and the local Conservative brand in need of a fresh face.
A Three-Way Contest Taking Shape
Knight’s entry into Surrey South sets up what may become a pointed three-way contest. Elenore Sturko, a former Surrey South MLA who most recently sat as an independent representing Surrey-Cloverdale after her removal from the B.C. Conservative caucus last September, was named leader of the new CentreBC party earlier this week and will compete in the same riding. Whether Chapman himself will join the race under the OneBC banner remains unconfirmed.
The broader provincial election was called on Tuesday, September 22, by NDP Leader David Eby, who cited the economic and political threat posed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the primary justification for triggering a vote while municipal elections are already underway across the province — an overlap that has itself become a minor controversy.
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader Lorne Doerkson framed Knight’s candidacy in terms of trustworthiness and accountability. Knight, for her part, struck a similar note, pointing to the financial pressures facing families in Surrey South and pledging to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency. How those commitments will be tested against the platforms of her rivals — and against the compressed, overlapping electoral calendar — remains to be seen.
