Vernon city councillor Kari Gares has a lot of runway left in her political career, and she's looking to spend it in the city's pilot seat. 

Gares confirmed to The Morning Star she will be running for mayor in the next municipal election, slated for October 2026. 

She narrowly lost a seat at the council table when she first ran for council in 2014, but with the encouragement of late Vernon councillor Dalvir Nahal, she ran again and was successful in 2018. She won a second council term in 2022 with the second-most votes on the ballot. 

Gares said she had plans to run for mayor in the last local election but took a step back to allow somebody else to run, "so that I wouldn't split the vote, because that's typically what ends up happening," she said. 

"It was always my intent, and the intent really spurs from the fact that I'm passionate about the community, I love to see the community continue its path forward in growth and economic prosperity, and the fact it I still have a lot of years left in me before retirement," said Gares, who turns 49 in April. 

She's hoping to hold the mayor's seat for at least a couple terms, should she get elected, adding she has plenty of energy for a long tenure if voters choose to grant her one.

Gares said she wants to bring a fresh perspective to council as mayor.

"I do have a different way of viewing things and I have a different philosophy. I'm hoping with that different perspective on things that might be something the general public is going to be excited about," she said. 

Specifically, Gares said she is highly policy-driven, believing policies exist for a reason and if something isn't working, it's council's job to amend those policies. 

She added she has a different leadership style that is steeped in the belief that everyone on council brings something different to the table, and unique experiences and perspectives need to be embraced in council chambers, "because if we all thought the same way, we actually don't get much done."

Gares wears many hats outside of council. She's a  and has worked in the financial sector since 1997, and said that professional background arms her with good financial know-how and a habit of "looking at every individual regardless of where they are in the socioeconomic spectrum." She added as a mortgage broker she's ingrained in the development community and understands their challenges, and wants them to know Vernon is "open for business."

Gares also has an insurance company and a software company, and developed her own software program that she uses in her business. 

"All of those things come down to one element: looking at the problems that are before you and finding concrete solutions so that you're making the best recommendations you can for your clients," she said. "Those are real lived experiences that would really be carried over into the mayor's chair."

While it's not the only reason she will be running for mayor, Gares said the idea of becoming only the second female mayor in Vernon's history aligns with her goal of bringing in a new perspective, and would be "a bit of a feat in itself."