Guide to voting

Municipal elections are held every 4 years in Vancouver. Positions are elected at large, representing the entire city.

Who can vote
You must meet all the qualifications to vote:
- Be 18 years of age or older on October 17, 2026
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Have lived in BC for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration
- Live in Vancouver (no minimum days required), or own property registered in your name in Vancouver for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration
- Not be disqualified by law from voting
Own property in Vancouver but live elsewhere in BC?

You may be qualified to vote as a Non-resident Property Elector.

Live in the UBC Lands and University Endowment Lands?

If you live in the UBC Lands and University Endowment Lands and you do not own property in Vancouver, you can only vote for School Trustees.
Register or update voter information
Elections BC maintains the voters' list for city and provincial elections. Register or update your voter information with Elections BC before August 18.

To register at a voting place, you must bring 2 pieces of eligible identification. Together, they must show your:
- Name on both pieces
- Address on at least 1 piece
- Signature on at least 1 piece
If you have no fixed address, you can register by providing a general location (such as an intersection) or the address of a shelter or social service agency you use in Vancouver.

Examples of acceptable identification
- BC Driver's Licence or BC Services Card
- Canadian passport or citizenship certificate
- Student or employee card
- Bank or credit card statement
- Utility bill or e-statement (shown on a phone)
- Library card
- Hospital identity bracelet
- Indigenous community membership card
- Transit card
- Prescription medication container
If you only have 1 piece of identification, you can make a solemn declaration to confirm your identity and address.
Ways to vote

Vote in advance

Advance voting takes place at any of the 59 advance voting places on October 3, 7, 10, and 13, from 8am to 8pm.

Vote on election day

Voting takes place at any of the 85 voting places on Saturday, October 17, from 8am to 8pm.

A list of voting places will be available in August.

UBC Lands and University Endowment Lands voters

You may vote in advance at any of the 59 advance voting places on October 3, 7, 10, and 13, plus UBC-AMS Student Nest (6133 University Blvd) on October 7 and 13.

On election day, you may vote at UBC-AMS Student Nest (6133 University Blvd) or University Hill Secondary School (3228 Ross Dr) only.

All times are 8am to 8pm.

Vote by mail

All eligible voters may request to vote by mail.

Apply between September 8 at 9am and October 5 at noon for a package to be mailed to you.

We must receive your completed ballot by 8pm on October 17.

If you require assistance with completing the package, you can phone the Election Office at 604-829-2010 or email [email protected].
What to expect on the ballot
Candidates are listed in numeric order on the election ballot based on a random order draw.

You may vote for:
- 1 Mayor
- 10 City Councillors
- 7 Park Board Commissioners
- 9 School Trustees
Capital borrowing questions

You can also vote on questions about where Council will spend borrowed money.

This money may be invested for initiatives such as improvements to sidewalks, buildings, and community centres.

You may only vote Yes or No on these questions. Learn more about the Capital Plan
Join the List of Future Voters
You can sign up to be automatically registered to vote when you turn 18, if you're:
- 16 or 17 years old
- A resident of BC
- A Canadian citizen
Once registered, you'll receive important information from Elections BC about where, when, and how to vote when a provincial election is called.

Register for the List of Future Voters