09/28/2026
Mark your calendars for October 17!
Election Day is coming up, and Empowered Support Services Society is sharing trusted, non‑partisan resources to help our community stay informed. These tools support anyone facing barriers to accessing election information. Learn about key dates, voter registration, and voting options through official provincial election resources.
Local Election Resources Mark your calendars:
The next general local elections will be held on October 17, 2026.
Visit the B.C. government website for online guides and brochures, including:
• Voter's Guide to Local Elections in B.C:
o Chinese Simplified (PDF, 542KB)
o Chinese Traditional (PDF, 578KB)
o English (PDF, 185KB)
o Farsi (PDF, 243KB)
o French (PDF, 243KB)
o Korean (PDF, 249KB)
o Punjabi (PDF, 254KB)
• Voter’s Guide for Electors Living on Reserve (PDF, 554KB)
• General Local Elections 101 (PDF, 484KB)
For more information about general local elections, please visit: www.gov.bc.ca/localelections
Information about voter eligibility
Are you eligible to vote in the 2026 general local elections?
To qualify to vote in a general local election, you must:
• Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote or 18 years or older on general voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law
If you are a resident of the local government, you may vote as a resident elector.
If you have owned property in another local government for at least 30 days before registering to vote, you may vote as a non-resident elector.
For information about voter eligibility and requirements, please visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/general-local-elections/voting-local-elections/voter-eligibility
For questions from voters living on reserve, more information is available here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/general-local-elections/voting-local-elections/electors-on-reserve
Frequently Asked Questions About Elections
Not sure where or when voting opportunities are available in your community? Contact your local Chief Election Officer.
A directory of all local governments is available online at CivicInfo BC.
Questions about general local elections?
Visit the B.C. government’s 2026 General local elections FAQs webpage: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/general-local-elections/election-2026-faq-voting-day
What Local Governments Do
Locally elected officials are responsible for making decisions that directly affect the lives of British Columbians every day. Municipal councils and regional district boards set policies, pass bylaws, approve budgets, and guide long term planning in areas such as land use, infrastructure, and community services.
To find out more about the different responsibilities of local governments, please visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/general-local-elections/thinking-of-running/role-of-elected-officials
