The 2026 Municipal Election in B.C. will take place on October 17.

Every municipality will also offer at least one advance voting day as well as mail-in ballots – the timing and requirements are specific to each city or town.

To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen, 18 years or older on election day, and have been a resident of B.C. for at least 6 months. Advance voter registration is not mandatory, but it can save you time on election day. Learn more here.

Eligible voters will cast a ballot for mayor, councillors, regional directors, school board trustees and other local officials, depending on where you live. These are the people who will be empowered to decide on important things that affect your community and your daily life.

On average, only one in three British Columbians votes in municipal elections. For comparison, turnout in provincial and federal elections is around 60-70 per cent. This means the results of municipal elections can really change with just a few votes.

Considering how powerful the municipal government is in many spheres that directly affect us — from housing to carbon emissions — voting in municipal elections is one of the most significant ways an individual can participate in shaping their community.

A few dozen votes in local elections can be the difference between a municipal government that prioritizes reliable transit, supports clean all-electric buildings, protects libraries, parks and community spaces, and is accountable to the people; and a government that is beholden to industry lobbyists and freezes taxes on rich property owners at the expense of the services that people rely on.

Local governments in B.C. have a huge impact on day-to-day life in the city or town you live in. They make decisions about things like public transit, emergency services, drinking water, public parks, buildings, and local streets. Because of their local responsibilities, the decisions of the municipal governments often affect you more directly compared to those of federal or provincial governments.

We must get involved in local elections to make sure our local communities are led by people that actually represent us and that our concerns are reflected in their decisions.

In B.C., local governments include municipalities, regional districts and unincorporated electoral areas, as well as various boards and commissions — the most important of which are school districts’ boards of education.

Eighty-nine per cent of British Columbians live in a municipality, which is why the terms ‘municipal government and ‘local government’ are often used interchangeably. There are 161 municipalities in B.C., categorized, depending on their size, as cities (e.g. City of Richmond), districts (e.g. District of Tofino), townships (e.g. Town of Princeton) or villages (e.g. Village of Slocan).

When a majority of the people living in a community engage in municipal politics, they create the conditions of a healthy, functioning democracy. One where mayors and councillors actually care about the community’s needs, and are held accountable for their decisions by the people who live there. When we don’t participate in local government, lobbyists and business interests rush in to fill the vacuum, pushing the interests of industry or self-serving special interest groups.

That is why, this municipal election, we need YOUR help to ramp up voter participation: pledge to vote this October, and talk to three people close to you — friends, family members, neighbours or coworkers – who you think might not vote unless you give them a nudge. If you’ve made it this far, you’re the best person to explain to your own people why municipal elections matter and why they should vote.

In 2026, we want to triple voter turnout in the B.C. municipal elections!

Sign the pledge and we will send you some resources to help you talk to your friends!