ForChange Kelowna
Announced October 2026
Our eight recommended candidates
for October 17, 2026.
The ForChange Kelowna committee has released its eight recommended candidates for Kelowna City Council. Eight volunteer residents reviewed the field on merit and decided by consensus. No party. No slate. You still make your own choice.
Reviewed by independent Kelowna residents. Your neighbours, not a backroom.
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Our recommendations
Eight recommended
candidates.
After a thorough assessment of every participating candidate, the committee reached consensus on these eight candidates for Kelowna City Council. Consider our recommendations, do your own research and make your own choice on October 17.
Councillor Vote for up to 8 · Kelowna municipal election, October 17, 2026
- Bellamy, Les
- DeHart, Maxine
- Dhial, Indy
- Kyle, Davis
- Singh, Mohini
- Thurnheer, Laura
- Tiede, Lee-Ann
- Webber, Rick
Listed alphabetically, not ranked. ForChange recommends. You decide.
How we chose
A thorough review,
decided by consensus.
ForChange is independent. We are not affiliated with any party, slate, business group or outside organization.
An independent committee of eight volunteer Kelowna residents with extensive professional, municipal, business and community experience reviewed submitted questionnaires, conducted in-depth candidate interviews and attended candidate forums.
The committee then deliberated together and made its decisions by consensus. Members sometimes disagreed, and some individual members strongly backed candidates who did not reach consensus.
What we assessed
Every participating candidate was assessed on the same six criteria:
- Experience and qualifications
- Leadership track record
- Community involvement
- Understanding of municipal governance
- Collaborative decision-making
- Vision for Kelowna’s future
In considering the overall composition of its recommendations, the committee also recognized the value of balancing new perspectives with continuity and experience from previous Council service.
What these recommendations are for
Our recommendations add information for voters. They do not tell anyone how to vote. Please do your own research and make your own choice on October 17.
“Consensus doesn’t mean we agreed on every candidate. There were thoughtful disagreements and strong advocates around the table. What mattered was that everyone was heard and that our final recommendations reflected the collective assessment of the committee after a very thorough process.”Rick Maddison, ForChange committee
01 / The stakes
A billion-dollar budget.
Four years.
One ballot.
Kelowna is at a pivotal moment for growth, public safety, and taxes, and no voter can realistically vet every name on the ballot alone.
Over the next term, City Council will oversee a budget of more than $1 billion and make more than a thousand decisions that shape daily life in Kelowna: housing, public safety, infrastructure, taxation, and quality of life.
The October 17, 2026 election will draw a crowded field, and organized slates are already part of the conversation. Many strong candidates never get elected simply because voters don’t have time to learn who they are.
“Most voters don’t have the time to research every name on the ballot, so good people get overlooked.”
ForChange exists to give Kelowna residents a credible shortcut: a consistent, transparent review that surfaces qualified councillor candidates, and never tells you how to vote.
What we do
Clear about
what this is.
- Recommend up to 8 candidates for Kelowna City Council
- Evaluate every candidate through a consistent, transparent process
- Welcome incumbents and newcomers equally
- Help voters make informed decisions, then step back
What we don't
Clearer about
what it isn’t.
- Recommend a mayoral candidate
- Operate as a political party or slate
- Endorse on behalf of any outside organization
- Tell you how to vote
02 / The process
How it works
Three steps took us from candidate review to eight published recommendations.
Evaluate
The committee reviewed submitted questionnaires, conducted in-depth candidate interviews, and attended candidate forums, assessing every participating candidate on one consistent framework.
Recommend
Based on qualifications, never popularity or party, the committee deliberated and reached consensus on eight recommended councillor candidates.
You decide
The recommendations are now published for you to weigh and share. ForChange did the homework. You fill out your own ballot.
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03 / The people
The neighbours
behind the work.
We'd rather earn your trust than ask for it, so we show you exactly who is doing the reviewing. Our committee brings experience across governance, public safety, finance, arts and culture, and land use.
Who does the reviewing
A cross-section
of Kelowna.
Volunteer residents with hands-on experience across the issues council actually faces. No party, no slate, and no single voice deciding for the group.
- Governance
- Public safety
- Finance
- Arts & Culture
- Land use
Our aim is to illuminate any and all candidates, incumbents included, who have the skillsets to navigate Kelowna during a pivotal time in our history.
The ForChange committee
Independence
Not affiliated with any political party, business group, or outside organization.
Fair & consistent
The same criteria for every candidate: experience, qualifications, and collaborative governance.
Transparent
Process disclosed publicly. Independent volunteers reviewing candidates on merit.
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Rooted in a proven idea. Some of our approach traces back to the original Four Change movement over a decade ago, a community effort that helped Kelowna voters choose better leaders.
Spread the word
Help neighbours find
the recommendations.
Municipal leaders shape day-to-day life more than any other level of government. Share the committee's eight recommended candidates so more Kelowna residents can weigh them before October 17, 2026.
Three easy ways
Lend a hand
Share the recommendations, volunteer, or tell your neighbours about ForChange. Every bit of awareness helps voters make sense of a crowded ballot.
- Share the recommendations on social media
- Volunteer to raise candidate profiles
- Talk to friends, family, and co-workers