Statement from City Manager Paul Mochrie on the 2025 By-election

Today, City Manager Paul Mochrie released the following statement regarding the April 5, 2025 municipal by-election:

“Yesterday, City of Vancouver voters elected two new city councillors in the municipal by-election, with approximately 67,962 ballots cast and voter turnout of 15.09 per cent, a 40 per cent increase from the 2017 by-election.

I want to thank each voter for your commitment to the democratic process and for the remarkable patience you demonstrated during long wait times experienced over the course of the day at many polling stations across the city.

Moreover, I want to acknowledge that voting wait times that many electors experienced yesterday were unacceptable. The extended wait times at many voting places reflected flawed planning assumptions for this by-election that informed staff decisions and the plan presented to Council. Recognizing the effort by the City’s elections team to promote and execute this plan, it was clearly insufficient to accommodate the electorate in accessing an efficient voting process.

These shortcomings are deeply regrettable and I apologize to all voters impacted by delays, as well as to candidates and civic parties. I, along with City staff, are committed to ensure that lessons from yesterday’s by-election inform the planning and execution of the 2026 general municipal election and all future City of Vancouver election efforts.

The conduct of elections is one of our responsibilities as a local government that does not present a margin for error. Our role is to provide a voting process that is efficient, accessible, and reflective of the trust that voters and elected officials place in the civil service to support the electoral process. We will do better moving forward.”