Vancouver takes some civic election candidates to court over Chinese-character names

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal News Vancouver takes some civic election candidates to court over Chinese-character names Vancouver's chief election officer says three candidates should not be able to use Chinese characters on their ballots Author of the article: By David Carrigg Published Sep 14, 2026 3 minute read Join the conversation Councillor Lenny Zhou at Vancouver City Hall on Oct. 22, 2024. PHOTO BY ARLEN REDEKOP /PNG Article content Two rival City of Vancouver council candidates are united in a fight to have their Chinese-character names included on next month’s municipal election ballot. Article content Iona Bonamis of OneCity Vancouver and Lenny Zhou of ABC Vancouver filed nomination papers with their usual names, which include their legal names in English and their Chinese names. Article content Article content Bonamis, whose Chinese name is To Sie Wing, said she was told at the time of filing that the city’s chief election officer would likely legally challenge whether her usual name provided was acceptable under the Vancouver Charter. Article content Article content According to the Vancouver Charter, nomination papers must include the full name of the person nominated and “the usual name of the person nominated, if the full name of the person is different from the name the person usually uses.” Article content Sunrise Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content In next month’s election, there is a council candidate whose usual name is Rollergirl. Article content “They are arguing my Chinese name is not part of my usual name,” said Bonamis, who is also a city employee. Article content “This is a name that I have been given by my parents. I’ve used it throughout my life and my relatives, my family and many people in the Chinese community, that’s how they refer to me. I also use it professionally at work and all my social media accounts. I don’t understand why they think it’s not part of my usual name.” Article content Iona Bonamis is a candidate for Vancouver City Council in the 2022 municipal election as a member of the OneCity Party. PHOTO BY JOSHUA BERSON /Submitted Article content Zhou said he was in the same boat, having been told when he submitted…