Garry Thind named Conservative candidate in Surrey-Guildford, stays on school board ballot
The North Delta Reporter reports that Garry Thind is running for the BC Conservatives in Surrey-Guildford while still listed on the Surrey school board trustee ballot for the October 17 civic election, because the provincial snap election call came after the withdrawal deadline.
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Garry Thind has been announced as the Conservative Party of BC candidate for Surrey-Guildford in the October 24 provincial election. The North Delta Reporter reports that Thind will also appear on the Surrey school board trustee ballot for the October 17 civic election, a situation he says he did not choose.
The issue stems from the timing of the snap election call. BC NDP leader David Eby called the provincial election on September 22. The deadline for candidates to withdraw from civic races in most BC municipalities, including Surrey, was September 18, four days earlier. Thind had already filed as a school board trustee candidate before the provincial race was called, and the window to withdraw had closed.
"Running for two positions was not my choice," Thind told the North Delta Reporter.
Thind is urging Surrey voters who want to avoid a potential byelection to leave him off the school board ballot. "If people want to leave me out and don't want a byelection to happen for the school board in Surrey, they can leave me out and pick any other six candidates of their choice. There are 24 school board trustee candidates running in school district," he said, according to the Reporter.
The Reporter explains that candidates cannot simply withdraw from a civic race after the deadline. They must ask their city's chief electoral officer to send a formal letter to the province, and the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs decides whether to approve the request. If approved before ballots are printed, the withdrawal goes through. Thind told the Reporter the window for that process had already passed.
If Thind wins both the MLA seat and a school board trustee seat, the Reporter notes that provincial office takes precedence, and the school board seat would be filled through a byelection.
Thind has served on the Surrey school board for 12 years, previously as vice-chair. He told the Reporter that education will remain a priority if he is elected as MLA, and that he also wants to address drug overdoses, extortion, housing, and affordability.
To see all candidates running in Surrey-Guildford, visit /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/surrey-guildford. The election is on October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. Check your registration at elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
Who is Garry Thind and what riding is he running in?
Garry Thind is the Conservative Party of BC candidate for the Surrey-Guildford district in the October 24, 2026 provincial election, as reported by the North Delta Reporter. He has served on the Surrey school board for 12 years and was previously vice-chair of that board. He lives in Surrey and leads a non-profit organization.
Why is Garry Thind on two different ballots?
The North Delta Reporter reports that Thind was already running for Surrey school board trustee in the October 17 civic election when BC NDP leader David Eby called the snap provincial election on September 22. The deadline for candidates to withdraw from civic races was September 18, four days before the provincial election was called. Because Thind missed that deadline, he cannot remove himself from the school board ballot and now appears on both the provincial and civic ballots.
What happens if Garry Thind wins both elections?
According to the North Delta Reporter, if a candidate wins both a provincial and a civic election, the provincial position takes precedence. That would mean Thind would take the MLA seat, and the school board seat would be filled through a byelection. Thind told the Reporter: 'Running for two positions was not my choice.'
What is Garry Thind asking Surrey voters to do?
The North Delta Reporter reports that Thind is encouraging Surrey voters to leave him off the school board ballot and choose from among the other 24 candidates running for trustee in the school district. He told the Reporter: 'If people want to leave me out and don't want a byelection to happen for the school board in Surrey, they can leave me out and pick any other six candidates of their choice.'
Could Garry Thind have withdrawn from the civic race another way?
The North Delta Reporter explains that candidates who want to withdraw from a civic race after the deadline cannot do so on their own. They must ask their city's chief electoral officer to send a formal letter to the province requesting withdrawal, and the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs may or may not approve it. Thind told the Reporter that another candidate in Surrey South succeeded in withdrawing through that process before ballots were printed, but that option was no longer available to him.
What is Garry Thind's background?
According to the North Delta Reporter, Thind has served on the Surrey school board for 12 years and was previously vice-chair. He says education will remain a priority if he is elected as MLA. He also leads a non-profit organization that has raised $5.4 million since 2002 to support people with physical and mental disabilities.
Where does Garry Thind stand on policy?
The North Delta Reporter reports that Thind says he wants to address issues he says the NDP government has not, including drug overdoses, extortion, housing, and affordability. He told the Reporter: 'We need to find out ways where the British Columbia government can generate more income.' These are the candidate's own positions, as reported by the North Delta Reporter.
How can voters in Surrey-Guildford find out more about the candidates?
You can see the full list of candidates running in Surrey-Guildford at [/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/surrey-guildford](/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/surrey-guildford). The provincial election is on October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. To confirm your registration and find your nearest voting place, visit elections.bc.ca.
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