A mayoral hopeful formally announced her campaign alongside three council candidates in Kamloops today, promising to break from the current chaotic term.

Former city councillor Nancy Dever is campaigning for mayor with a slate of council candidates dubbed Pivot Kamloops. Although the three council candidates have never served in public office, they are familiar faces in the Kamloops political scene.

She’s running alongside Randy Sunderman, Katherine Blair-Wunderlich and Dennis Giesbrecht. Two of whom have previously run for various political positions, while Blair-Wunderlich is known for her association with local city hall watchdog group Kamloops Citizens United.

“Kamloops residents are tired of seeing their tax dollars and council meetings consumed by personality conflicts,” Dever told iNFOnews.ca. “The Pivot Kamloops Pledge is our contract with the city. We aren’t just asking for your vote; we are putting our commitment to professional governance in writing.”

They announced the campaign, May 14, at Fulton Field Park and committed to maintaining civility in council chambers and a “clean break” from the last four years of dysfunction between Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and the current council.

The Pivot Kamloops campaign has four main pillars, which are focused on decorum and civility at city hall, fiscal responsibility, community safety and economic strength through business-friendly policies.

Dever is the third person to enter the race for mayor. She is up against incumbent Hamer-Jackson and councillor Mike O’Reilly.

Earlier in the day, current councillor Bill Sarai announced his intention to run for re-election as a candidate for council, making him the third incumbent entering the municipal election campaign as a councillor. Councillors Nancy Bepple and Dale Bass have already announced they intend to run for re-election.

The campaign in Kamloops is starting earlier than past election cycles with several other non-incumbents having announced their plans to run for council in recent weeks.

Pivot Kamloops council candidates Sunderman and Giesbrecht have previously run for municipal and provincial positions, but neither have been successful.

Blair-Wunderlich, who launched a legal challenge against the city in 2024, is expected to step away from her role volunteering with Kamloops Citizens United.

“Kamloops needs leaders who will ask the hard questions, challenge processes, demand accountability and work toward practical solutions and sound fiscal policy,” she told iNFOnews.ca. “When city hall talks about spending millions of your tax dollars, you should not have to fight for a seat at the table, you should be the guest of honour.”

While she’s stepping away from the watchdog group, the organization voiced support for the newly announced slate of candidates.

“I’m confident these candidates will actually follow through on their election promises,” Kamloops Citizens United organizer Coley Ecker said in a statement. “They’re reflecting KCU priorities: accountability, transparency, public engagement, fiscal responsibility and public safety.”