Making a Plan to Vote

Contents

• 2026 BC Local Elections
• Why Vote in Local Elections?
• Local Government Responsibilities 101
• Making a Plan to Vote
• Informed Voting

2026 BC Local Elections

With voter turnout averaging 36.2% across British Columbia in the 2022 local elections, many British Columbians appear to consider their local election less important or consequential than provincial and federal elections, yet many of the issues that most directly affect people’s daily lives are shaped by decisions made by their local council.

In British Columbia, general local elections are held every four years. The next general local election is October 17, 2026.

Though information on local or municipal elections can be found on Elections BC’s “2026 General Local Elections” page, municipalities are responsible for administering and collecting votes within their region. This means that, depending on where you live, your ballot may include: 

• Mayors and municipal councillors;

• Regional district directors;

• School board trustees;

• Specified parks boards;

• Local community commissions; and

• the Islands Trust.

Before you vote, it is important to understand what is on your ballot and to inform yourself about the decisions that will shape your community over the next four years. The following toolkit provides non-partisan information, skills, and resources to help humanists across British Columbia make informed decisions about their local elections and their communities.

Why Vote In Local Elections?

Despite low voter engagement and media coverage, local governments are where democracy becomes tangible. Decisions made at city hall or municipal offices directly affect the way a community looks and feels. For instance, local councils decide whether or not new housing developments are approved, the height of those developments, and the green spaces near or attached to that development. They dictate whether or not city land can be used to build AI data centres, whether or not renters have protections from demovictions and renovictions, and whether or not your community park remains a greenspace or becomes private property. 

Governments of all levels impact our lives, but more often than not, the issues and passions that come up daily are in some way decided or influenced by your local government. 

In the upcoming election humanists across BC have the opportunity to select candidates who are supportive of secular governance; of democratic, non-dogmatic approaches to learning and community life; of advocating for the well-being of people through human effort, reason, and understanding; and of hearing the voices of humanists by leading public conversations about values, morality, and ethics.

For voters like yourself, this means considering how candidates approach the principles that matter to a secular, democratic, and human-centred society. Your vote matters.

Local Government Responsibilities 101 

Your local government dictates many aspects of your community's life. Some municipal responsibilities have a particularly significant influence on the direction in which a community grows and changes. Everyday millions of people interact with their local government. 

Consider what one day in the life of a common British Columbian. They wake up in their home, an apartment, townhouse, or single family dwelling, and head out for the day. The road they drive on, the sidewalk they walk along, their street lighting, and the water flowing from their tap are all regulated by decisions about local infrastructure and services. If they are a public or active transportation user, they may rely on local bike routes, transit corridors, and pedestrian crossings.

On the way to work, school, or an appointment, they pass buildings and developments that only exist because of local land-use planning, zoning, and development decisions. They might stop at a local business, pass by or through a public park, visit a community centre, or drop something into a public recycling or garbage bin, each connected to a municipal service, regulation, or investment. Later, they may come across construction on their street, they may take a pet to a park, visit the local library, or go to the local pool or gym at a recreation facility. By the end of an ordinary day, they may have interacted with decisions made by your local government dozens of times without giving it much thought. 

Your municipal government is often most visible when something changes: when a road is closed, a new building is proposed, a service changes, or a bylaw affects your routine. Decisions made by your local government are embedded in nearly every system that make your daily life possible.

Understanding what exactly a local government has responsibilities over can make it easier for you as a voter to make an informed decision on who will end up on your ballot. By seeing the connections between your vote and the community you experience around you. 

A list of municipal responsibilities is shared below: 

• Housing, zoning, land use, and development, including development approvals and aspects of heritage conservation;

• Roads, sidewalks, transportation corridors, and local transportation infrastructure;

• Water, sewer, drainage, and utility services;

• Waste collection, disposal, and recycling;

• Parks, recreation, public spaces, and community amenities;

• Libraries, community centres, cultural facilities, and community spaces or events;

• Fire protection, emergency preparedness, and emergency response;

• Local policing and public safety;

• Business regulation and licensing;

• Animal control and regulation;

• Trees, vegetation, and natural spaces;

• Local environmental protection, climate action, and sustainability initiatives; and

• Property taxes, fees, financial planning, and municipal budgeting.

Not every issue that matters to your community will fall under municipal jurisdiction, but your municipal government has the voice and power to advocate for you to other levels of governments and corporations. By understanding which level of government is responsible for the issue you care about, you can ask better questions and advocate more effectively.

Making A Plan To Vote

Voters are more likely to vote when they make a plan before election day. Take some time to follow these steps if you aren’t sure how to make your plan to vote: 

1. Check Your Voter Eligibility

Consult the BC Government's “Voter Eligibility” official website to determine whether or not you are eligible to vote in the 2026 Local Elections. Generally, you can vote in if you are:

• 18 years of age or older when you register to vote or 18 years or older on general voting day; AND

• are a Canadian citizen; AND

• have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote; AND

• be a resident of the municipality or electoral area; AND

• are not disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law. 

There are specific cases for students, non-resident property electors and for voters who live on reserves, all of which can be verified by the official information on the “Voter Eligibility” page.

2. Find Your Municipality

Not sure what municipality, city or jurisdiction you live in? Start by looking up your address. Then, take note of what city/place is listed on the official address. For example 1234 Main St, Vancouver, BC. The place name in this part of your address is usually your municipality. 

OR 

Use the Government of British Columbia’s iMapBC tool. Launch the tool and search your address. If you do not have a street address, skip this step and find where you live on the map. Click “Data Soucres” along the top tabs, then select “Add Provincial Layers.” Search “Municipalities” and select the box titled “Municipalities - ABMS - Colour Themed,” then click “OK” at the bottom of the pop up. This will show coloured in spaces with the boundaries of municipalities in BC. Look for the area where you live, and the map will be labelled with your municipality. 

Once you have identified your municipality, visit its official website by searching it online or finding it on CivicInfo BC. Look for its 2026 local election page, where you can find information about candidates, voting dates and locations, advance voting, registration, accessibility, and other local election information.

3. Who Are Your Local Candidates?

Since nominations have closed, your municipality should have published an official list of candidates on their website. Local news outlets will likely also have a list of candidates who will appear on your ballot. 

Once you know the names of your candidates, you can find out more information about them, and their platform. It is important not to rely on a single source when researching candidates. Visit candidates' websites or social media pages, read their platforms, look for unbiased interviews, and consider their experience and positions on the issues that matter to you.

4. Look for Opportunities to Meet Candidates

Municipalities or candidates often provide opportunities to meet the candidates and hear directly from them before you vote. Check your municipality's website and local news outlets for dates of candidate debates, forums, town halls, public meetings, demonstrations and other election events.

Community organizations may also host candidate events, distribute questionnaires, or provide election toolkits like this one. Attending an election event can help you compare candidates and hear how they respond to questions beyond their prepared campaign materials.

When listening to candidates, consider not only what they promise, but whether they consider and engage with the questions you and other residents ask them. Think about whether or not their promises align with the responsibilities and limits of municipal government. Consider if they address how they plan to pay for their priorities. 

5. Registering to Vote 

Since local elections are administered by each municipality, municipal websites will contain the information you need to understand how to register to vote. If you aren’t registered to vote before election day, you can register when you go in to vote.

Registering to vote usually requires 2 pieces of ID, which your municipality will disclose on their website. If you can’t find the information on how to register to vote on your municipality's website, you can phone your municipality to ask questions. 

6. Decide When and Where To Vote

General Voting Day for the 2026 B.C. local elections is Saturday, October 17, 2026. However, some municipalities will hold advanced polling, or provide vote by mail options as outlined in the Local Government Act. Again, since local elections are administered by each municipality, you will need to consult your municipality's website to find out where you can vote, and when polling is available. On General voting day, polling stations must be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

It is important to note that the Election Act does not apply to local elections in B.C. 

To decide when and where you will vote, check your municipality's website ahead of time and make a note of:

• The general voting date (October 17, 2026) and advance or special voting dates;

• voting locations;

• identification requirements;

• vote-by-mail availability;

• any accessibility services or accommodations you may need tp request in advance; and

• registration or application deadlines.

7. Making A Voting Checklist

Before election day, make sure you can answer these questions:

• Am I eligible? I have confirmed my voting status and understand what identification or registration I may need to vote.

• Where will I vote? I know my municipality and electoral area.

• Who is on my ballot? I know what positions I will be voting for (councillors, mayor, school board trustees, etc.)

• What matters to me? I have considered what local issues and priorities are most important to me.

• Who are the candidates? I have researched the candidates for the positions I am voting for and have compared their positions.

• When will I vote? I have chosen which voting date and location I am available to vote on, and put it in my calendar.

Preparation can turn local elections from something easily missed into an opportunity to impact your community. 

8. Talk to Your Community 

Once you’ve made a plan to vote, or if you’re just starting to look into your local election, talk to your community about voting. Asking your coworkers, neighbors or friends if they know the election is coming up can spark higher voter turnout. If they don’t know where to start, share the Elections BC 2026 Local Government webpage with them, or send them this toolkit. 

Now that you’ve gone through the checklist, how do you know what issues to consider, what questions to ask, or even where to start? 

Informed Voting

Now that you’ve made a plan to vote, you have taken the first steps to becoming an informed voter. Casting an informed vote doesn't mean you have to become an expert on every issue, or know everything about every candidate. It means taking the time to learn enough to make a decision that reflects your values and priorities.

Don’t know where to begin? Start by asking yourself:

• What issues matter most to me and my community?

• What do I want my community to look like in the future?

Still not sure what to ask your candidates, or just need a bit of a head start? Our next section will include a breakdown of issues that the BCHA and its members have identified as important, along with sample questions that you can put to your local candidates.

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