Candidate nominations opened today, marking the start of the 2024 school council general elections for the 17 Yukon Education schools directly under the authority of the Department of Education. School councils are separate from school boards and have different elections.
Candidate nomination packages are now available at schools with councils, from school returning officers, at Elections Yukon’s office in Whitehorse, and online at ElectionsYukon.ca. Completed nomination forms will be accepted by school returning officers until noon on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
Yukoners can be nominated or vote in a school council election if they are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years of age, and either:
- the parent/guardian of a student attending the school
AND/OR - have been a resident* in the school's attendance area for at least three (3) months.
*School council elections at the three Whitehorse Catholic schools require residents to also be registered parishioners at Sacred Heart Cathedral parish or Our Lady of Victory parish. Catholics who are unregistered can contact the Catholic Diocese of Whitehorse to discuss other options.
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Administering school council elections are an important part of the Elections Yukon mandate. As with all elections in the territory, we work to ensure impartial, non-partisan, and compliant processes, accessible to all eligible electors. I encourage all interested candidates and eligible electors to learn about the process, participate, and exercise their right to vote and be a candidate in these elections.
- Maxwell Harvey, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Yukon
Information updates
To learn about the nomination process and for important election updates, visit ElectionsYukon.ca or follow @ElectionsYukon on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter).
For more information, contact
Colleen Madore
Elections Yukon
Assistant Chief Electoral Officer
(867) 667-8683
schools@electionsyukon.ca
For information about school councils, visit yukon.ca/school-councils.
Key information for the 2024 school council general elections
Key dates
-
Monday, April 15: Candidate nominations open
Completed nomination forms can be submitted to the returning officer appointed for the school. -
Thursday, April 25 at noon: Candidate nominations close
All nomination papers must be received by the returning officer appointed for the school.
Where there are more candidates than elected positions, a poll will be arranged. If not, the nominated candidates will be declared elected. -
Saturday, May 4 from 11 AM to 4 PM: Early voting
In-person voting is available at schools holding a vote. -
Monday, May 6 from 3 to 8 PM: Polling day
In-person voting is available at schools holding a vote.
When polls close, the candidates with the most votes will be declared elected.
Eligibility to vote or be a candidate in a school council election
Yukoners can be nominated or vote in a school council election if they are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years of age, and either:
- are the parent/guardian of a student who attends the school
AND/OR - have been a resident* in the school's attendance area for at least three (3) months.
*School council elections at the three Whitehorse Catholic schools require residents to also be registered parishioners at Sacred Heart Cathedral parish or Our Lady of Victory parish. Unregistered Catholics can contact the Catholic Diocese of Whitehorse to discuss other options.
Becoming a candidate in a school council election
Candidates must submit a completed nomination form to the returning officer appointed for the school election. Returning officers will accept nomination forms between Monday, April 15 and Thursday, April 25 at noon.
Returning officers will also be available at schools with councils between 10 AM and 12 noon on April 25 to accept any last-minute nominations.
Whistle Bend Elementary School's returning officer will be available to accept any last-minute nominations from 10 am to 12 noon on Thursday, April 25 at Porter Creek Secondary School.
Prospective candidates should visit ElectionsYukon.ca to learn more and download nomination forms.
Voting in a school council election
Where there are more candidates than elected positions, a vote will be held. Schools holding an election will have in-person voting on:
- Saturday, May 4 from 11 AM to 4 PM
- Monday, May 6 from 3 PM to 8 PM
Yukon schoools with a school council
Seventeen (17) Yukon schools have a council; each with between three and seven elected positions. Members are elected every two years, the last being in the spring of 2022. Members receive honoraria for attending regular meetings. Yukon schools with a council include:
- Five (5) community schools:
- Del Van Gorder School (Faro) - 5 elected members
- J.V. Clark School (Mayo) - 3 elected members
- Khàtinas.axh Community School (Teslin) - 3 elected members
- Robert Service School (Dawson) - 6 elected members
- Tantalus School (Carmacks) - 3 elected members
- Three (3) Catholic schools:
- Christ the King Elementary School - 5 elected members
- Holy Family Elementary School - 5 elected members
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School - 5 elected members
- Nine (9) Whitehorse-area schools:
- École Selkirk Elementary School - 5 elected members
- École Whitehorse Elementary School - 7 elected members
- Elijah Smith Elementary School - 3 elected members
- F.H. Collins Secondary School - 7 elected members
- Golden Horn Elementary School - 5 elected members
- Hidden Valley School - 5 elected members
- Jack Hulland Elementary School - 7 elected members
- Porter Creek Secondary School - 7 elected members
- Whistle Bend Elementary School - 5 elected members
Schools under the authority of a school board have a separate election process which is held every three years. The next school board trustee election will be in the fall of 2025.
Role of school councils
The duties and powers of school councils are described in the Education Act; specifically:
- Reviewing and approving school growth plans;
- Establishing school-based policies on attendance, discipline, and dispute resolution
- Participating in the hiring of school principals;
- Making recommendations on how school budgets are spent; and
- Advising on other matters, such as:
- Locally-developed courses of study;
- School closures;
- Student transportation;
- Length of the school year;
- Staffing needs;
- School renovations and capital expenditures; and
- Recommending evaluation, discipline, demotion, or dismissal of teachers or the principal.
Pièces jointes:
| Fichier | Taille |
|---|---|
 SC2024 Nominations Open NR.pdfTéléchargement | 195.76 Ko |
| SC2024 Nominations Open NR - Background.pdf Téléchargement | 182.11 Ko |