The Government of Prince Edward Island today announced that it plans to introduce legislation to repeal Section 35.1 of the School Act. Section 35.1 restricts PEI school board trustees from serving more than two terms. This means current school board trustees are eligible candidates for nomination in the upcoming school board elections on May 17, 1999.
"All eligible candidates may offer their name for nomination as a school board trustee," said Minister Gillan. "Eligible voters must then decide which candidate will best represent school children in their area. That's the most democratic way to conduct an election."
School board elections will be held May 17, 1999 for trustees' positions in the three Prince Edward Island school boards: the Eastern School District, the Western School Board and the French Language School Board. The current school board trustees in the province are in the third and final year of their elected mandate and their terms expire on June 30, 1999.
Minister Gillan encourages all Islanders to participate in the electoral process and to consider serving as a school board trustees.
Elections PEI will conduct the school board trustees' elections across the province, as was the case in the 1996 school board elections. Elections PEI has prepared and distributed elector information packages concerning nominations, eligibility of proposed candidates, zoning maps and voting locations. The elector information packages will be distributed in April to all PEI schools and school board offices. Packages will also be available at the regional service centres and the Elections PEI Office at 180 Richmond Street, Charlottetown.