--- title: "Derrick O'Keefe | School Board | Vancouver election 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/candidates/derrick-o-keefe" last_updated: "2026-09-23T06:07:57.497Z" meta: description: "Derrick O'Keefe, ballot number 323 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: School funding and public assets." "og:description": "Derrick O'Keefe, ballot number 323 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: School funding and public assets." "og:title": "Derrick O'Keefe | School Board | Vancouver election 2026" "twitter:description": "Derrick O'Keefe, ballot number 323 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: School funding and public assets." "twitter:title": "Derrick O'Keefe | School Board | Vancouver election 2026" --- School Board · Vancouver 2026 # Derrick O'Keefe Candidate for the Vancouver School Board. Derrick O'Keefe, ballot number 323 for School Board in Vancouver, COPE. Profile focus: School funding and public assets. Explore the record Public schedule Researched by voche.me · Not a campaign-authored page COPE2026 ![Derrick O'Keefe, published by the COPE campaign.](https://voche.me/images/candidates/derrick-o-keefe-640.webp) *Derrick O'KeefeSchool BoardBallot no.323* [Image: COPE campaign](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) Candidate research / September 22, 2026 This record covers Derrick O'Keefe's COPE candidacy for the Vancouver School Board, the 2018 run for city council, and the party positions O'Keefe is running on. Each item names its source. **9**Commitments **2**News articles **8**Sources Public schedule / Through election day ## Where can you hear Derrick O'Keefe? No public appearance by this candidate was confirmed in the sources checked on September 22, 2026. The voting dates below apply to every voter. An empty day is a gap in the research, not proof that nothing is happening. Checked September 22, 2026 · All event times are Vancouver local time. Recheck the organizer before travelling. - [Election dates and voting information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-election.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver - [Where to vote](https://vancouver.ca/election/2026/where-to-vote.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver
View every date through Oct 17 1. Sep 22No appearance confirmed 2. Sep 23No appearance confirmed 3. Sep 24No appearance confirmed 4. Sep 25No appearance confirmed 5. Sep 26No appearance confirmed 6. Sep 27No appearance confirmed 7. Sep 28No appearance confirmed 8. Sep 29No appearance confirmed 9. Sep 30No appearance confirmed 10. Oct 1No appearance confirmed 11. Oct 2No appearance confirmed 12. Oct 3Voting day 13. Oct 4No appearance confirmed 14. Oct 5No appearance confirmed 15. Oct 6No appearance confirmed 16. Oct 7Voting day 17. Oct 8No appearance confirmed 18. Oct 9No appearance confirmed 19. Oct 10Voting day 20. Oct 11No appearance confirmed 21. Oct 12No appearance confirmed 22. Oct 13Voting day 23. Oct 14No appearance confirmed 24. Oct 15No appearance confirmed 25. Oct 16No appearance confirmed 26. Oct 17Voting day
### Voting dates - Oct 3Advance voting - Oct 7Advance voting - Oct 10Advance voting - Oct 13Advance voting - Oct 17Election day 8 am to 8 pm at official Vancouver voting places. These dates apply to every voter and are not candidate appearances. [Find your voting place](https://voche.me/where-to-vote) - [Election dates and voting information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-election.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver - [Where to vote](https://vancouver.ca/election/2026/where-to-vote.aspx)Official record · City of Vancouver On dates without a confirmed appearance the public schedule is unknown; the candidate may still have activities that day. This static page changes only when its research is updated. 01 / Introduction ## About Derrick O'Keefe Derrick O'Keefe appears on the City of Vancouver's final 2026 candidate list for School Board, with ballot number 323. The City records the affiliation as COPE. The party page says O'Keefe works as a journalist and writer and has advocated for public education. The COPE schools page describes O'Keefe as a journalist and a parent, and says the experience brought to the race is advocacy for public education. The Tyee described O'Keefe as a journalist when listing COPE's four school board candidates in August 2026. O'Keefe ran for Vancouver city council with COPE in the 2018 municipal election and received 38,305 votes, finishing 14th in a race for 10 seats and not winning a seat. O'Keefe writes for COPE's own news page. A post on July 21, 2026 about the first mayoral debate of the People's Primary carries the byline. O'Keefe appears on the October 17, 2026 school board ballot at number 323 for COPE, alongside COPE candidates Suzie Mah, Melanie Cheng and Gwen Giesbrecht. voche.me assembled this profile from the official candidate list and the campaign material linked under Sources. The campaign has not been contacted, and no candidate-supplied content appears on this page. Read the sources Promises / Commitments and evidence ## Commitments and the available evidence. Published positions and selected commitments, separated by election cycle. Status labels describe the evidence reviewed, not a numerical score or a complete audit of the platform. Council approval is different from delivery. 9 commitments shown · Checked Sep 22 2026 · FundingCampaign pledge ### Full funding for every learner Work for fully funded, high quality education for every student, whatever their learning needs.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
This comes from COPE's own schools page, which lists it among O'Keefe's priorities. School funding is set by the provincial government, and the page does not say how a trustee would change that.
What still needs checking
What a Vancouver trustee can do to raise provincial funding, and what O'Keefe would ask the province for first.
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Student servicesCampaign pledge ### Meals for every student Bring in universal meal programmes in Vancouver schools.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
COPE's schools page lists this among O'Keefe's priorities and the party also lists school meal programmes among its commitments. No cost or timeline is given.
What still needs checking
What a district-wide meal programme would cost each year and where the money would come from.
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver - [Home page](https://www.votecope.ca/)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · ChildcareCampaign pledge ### Childcare families can afford Work for childcare that families can afford and get to.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
COPE's schools page lists this among O'Keefe's priorities. It does not say how many spaces or on which sites.
What still needs checking
How many childcare spaces could be opened on school district property, and on what timeline.
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Public landCampaign pledge ### Keep school land in public hands Use public school land for community benefit and keep it out of private development.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
COPE's schools page lists this among O'Keefe's priorities. The party page states the same aim across its school board team. No specific site is named.
What still needs checking
Which district properties are under review, and how O'Keefe would vote on each.
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · TechnologyCampaign pledge ### Pause generative AI in schools This is COPE's position: pause Microsoft Copilot accounts and all student use of generative AI and chatbots in district schools until wider consultation with the community has taken place.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
The Tyee put the question to all seven parties in August 2026 and recorded COPE's answer, listing O'Keefe among the party's four trustee candidates. On September 10, 2026 COPE said it is the only progressive party to have signed the PACES pledge against AI in Vancouver schools. O'Keefe is not quoted in either source.
What still needs checking
Whether O'Keefe states a personal position, and what the district's own consultation on Copilot has found.
- [Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI?](https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/08/11/Where-Vancouver-Parties-Stand-AI/)Reporting · The Tyee - [COPE rallies to oppose AI data centres, unveils Artificial Intelligence Platform](https://www.votecope.ca/news/cope-vancouver-cope-rallies-to-oppose-ai-data-centres-unveils-artificial-intelligence-platform)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · FundingCampaign pledge ### Provincial underfunding and school services This is COPE's platform: push back against provincial underfunding of public schools, oppose ABC's cuts, and support school meal programmes, free transit for teenagers and defibrillators in schools.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
These commitments are on COPE's schools page as party positions for the whole school board team. O'Keefe is not quoted on them.
What still needs checking
Which of these a school board can deliver on its own, and which need the province.
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Full funding for every studentCampaign pledge ### Full funding for every student The party page says O'Keefe wants education that is fully funded and high quality for all students, whatever their learning needs.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Taken from the campaign page listed in the sources. No independent confirmation was found.
What still needs checking
What would this cost, who would deliver it, and by when?
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Universal meal programs and childcareCampaign pledge ### Universal meal programs and childcare The party page says O'Keefe supports meal programs open to all students and childcare that families can afford and reach.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Taken from the campaign page listed in the sources. No independent confirmation was found.
What still needs checking
What would this cost, who would deliver it, and by when?
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver 2026 · Public land for public benefitCampaign pledge ### Public land for public benefit The party page says O'Keefe wants public land used for the public benefit.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Taken from the campaign page listed in the sources. No independent confirmation was found.
What still needs checking
What would this cost, who would deliver it, and by when?
- [School board team](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Campaign · COPE Vancouver City programs / Scope and delivery ## Policies, budgets & programs Each entry below names its source. Campaign material is the candidate's own account. Nothing here is presented as a verified outcome unless the entry says so. No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate. Recent appearances / Read and watch ## Talks, interviews & statements Read original statements and reporting, or open the publisher’s video. A summary of a speech is labelled separately from a full recording. Jul 21Statement ### Post on the first mayoral debate of the People's Primary Writing on COPE's news page, O'Keefe pointed readers to CBC radio coverage of the first People's Primary mayoral debate, which featured COPE's mayoral candidate Stephanie Allen and other progressive candidates, and framed the election as a fight against Ken Sim and the wealthy backers of that campaign. - [Check out the first mayoral debate of the People's Primary](https://www.votecope.ca/news/check-out-the-fisrt-mayoral-debate-of-the-peoples-primary)Campaign · COPE Vancouver Accountability / Findings, disputes and responses ## Controversies & public scrutiny Records are labelled by type, including official findings, civil proceedings and political disputes where applicable. Each entry identifies the response found in the sources and the latest status verified for this page. No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate. News coverage / Original publishers ## Read the reporting A dated reading list from independent publishers. The headings below are voche.me summaries; follow each link for the original article, context and any corrections. August 11, 2026Reporting The Tyee ### Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI? Katie Hyslop asked all seven Vancouver parties about artificial intelligence in schools and about data centres. COPE asked for a pause on all student use of generative AI pending consultation, and O'Keefe is named among the party's trustee candidates. - [Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI?](https://thetyee.ca/News/2026/08/11/Where-Vancouver-Parties-Stand-AI/)Reporting · The Tyee September 22, 2026Reporting Daily Hive ### Vancouver's 2026 civic election candidate list is set: All 130 names in ballot order The ballot for October 17, 2026 places O'Keefe at number 323 for school board under COPE. - [All 130 names in ballot order](https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-2026-civic-election-candidates-ballot-order)Reporting · Daily Hive Research / 8 linked sources ## Check the evidence Sources checked September 22, 2026. Official records establish decisions; campaign material establishes stated positions; reporting adds investigation and context. None alone establishes every claim.
Official record 2 sources - Election dates and voting information City of Vancouver - Where to vote City of Vancouver
Campaign 4 sources - School board team COPE Vancouver - Home page COPE Vancouver - Check out the first mayoral debate of the People's Primary COPE Vancouver · July 21, 2026 - COPE rallies to oppose AI data centres, unveils Artificial Intelligence Platform COPE Vancouver · September 10, 2026
Reporting 2 sources - Where Do Vancouver Parties Stand on AI? The Tyee · August 11, 2026 - All 130 names in ballot order Daily Hive · September 22, 2026
COPE's platform page still carries its April 2025 by-election material, so the party's 2026 school board commitments recorded here come from its schools page. Georgia Straight reporting from June 2018 on O'Keefe's council nomination could not be opened, so the account of earlier journalism and activism rests on what the party and The Tyee say. No personal campaign website, no 2026 interview and no forum appearance naming O'Keefe were found. No independent source was found for the claim of advocacy experience in public education. Research status ## What voche.me has checked Evidence reviewed on September 22, 2026: Current campaign material; biographical claims require corroboration. Campaign page read on September 22, 2026. 3 stated positions and 1 background fact recorded here, each checked against a quotation from that page. Checks still to do: Verify professional roles and request individual commitments with costs. The ballot name, office, ballot number and party label come from the City's final candidate list. Everything described as campaign material is the campaign's own account and has not been confirmed by an independent source. 03 / Background ## Experience & community 2018 ### Candidate for Vancouver city council, COPE O'Keefe received 38,305 votes and was not elected. COPE won one council seat that year, taken by Jean Swanson. 2026 ### Writer, COPE news page O'Keefe writes posts on the party's news page, including coverage of the People's Primary mayoral debate in July 2026. [Check out the first mayoral debate of the People's Primary](https://www.votecope.ca/news/check-out-the-fisrt-mayoral-debate-of-the-peoples-primary) 04 / Questions & answers ## Questions for the candidate Proposed questions for a future interview. They have not been sent to the candidate, and no answers have been supplied.
Which spending or property decision would you change first, and what evidence supports that choice? No response has been submitted.
How would you balance student learning support, facilities and staffing within the district’s available funding? No response has been submitted.
05 / Candidate contributions ## Space for campaign updates ### No campaign updates yet Announcements, event details and messages can be added here, with their source and publication date. No campaign submission has been added. ## Sources & transparency - [City of Vancouver · official school trustee candidate list ](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidates-school-trustee.aspx)Checked September 22, 2026 - [COPE · candidate page ](https://www.votecope.ca/schools)Checked September 22, 2026 Missing information does not imply a candidate’s position. [Read our editorial standards.](https://voche.me/about) Campaign contact ## Campaign links & contact. Find the candidate’s website, social accounts and contact information. [COPE · candidate page](https://www.votecope.ca/schools) [COPE official website](https://www.votecope.ca/) ## View more candidates. [All candidate spaces ](https://voche.me/candidates) [School Board**Darren Boidman**](https://voche.me/candidates/darren-boidman) [School Board**Krista Sigurdson**](https://voche.me/candidates/krista-sigurdson) ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.