2026 General Local Election

General local elections are held every four years in British Columbia. The next general local election will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

District of Port Edward electors will vote to elect one Mayor and four Councillors. This page provides key dates, voter information, candidate resources, election notices and results. Information will be updated as it becomes available.

Quick information

  • General Voting Day: Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  • Advance voting: Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  • Offices to be elected: one Mayor and four Councillors
  • Nomination period: 9:00 a.m. September 1 to 4:00 p.m. September 11, 2026
  • Election email: election@portedward.ca
  • Election office: District Office, 770 Pacific Avenue, Port Edward, BC

Quick links

About local elections

Local elections are a shared responsibility between local governments and Elections BC. Local governments administer voting and nominations, while Elections BC oversees campaign financing and election advertising rules.

The District of Port Edward conducts its election in accordance with the Local Government Act, the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, the Community Charter and applicable District election bylaws.

District election bylaw

The District's Election and Assent Voting Bylaw No. 727, 2022 establishes local procedures for elections and assent voting. It provides for use of the Provincial Voters List, one required advance voting opportunity and the order of candidate names on the ballot.

View Election and Assent Voting Bylaw No. 727, 2022

Learn more: General local elections in British Columbia

Key Dates

Date Election Item
August 4, 2026 Nomination packages and information available from the District.
August 18, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Deadline for voter registration with Elections BC (Electors can still register to vote at the Advance and General voting days).
August 25, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Advance registration closes for non-resident property electors.
August 26, 2026 The Provincial Voters List becomes the District's official List of Registered Electors. 
September 1, 2026, 9:00 a.m. Nomination period begins.
September 1 to October 17, 2026 The List of Registered Electors is available for public inspection during regular District Office hours.
September 11, 2026, 4:00 p.m. Nomination period closes. Deadline to object to the registration of an elector.
September 19 to October 17, 2026 Campaign period and third-party advertising expense-limit period.
October 7, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Required advance voting opportunity. The voting place will be identified in the Notice of Election by Voting.
October 17, 2026 General Voting Day.

Voter Information

Is your voter information current?

Under Election and Assent Voting Bylaw No. 727, 2022, the District of Port Edward is using the Provincial Voters List as the register of resident electors. The Provincial Voters List will become the District's official List of Registered Electors on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

If you are qualified to vote but do not believe you are on the current Provincial Voters List, or if your name or address needs to be updated, register or update your information through Elections BC by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

Register or update your voter information online

To confirm whether your name is on the list, contact District election staff or visit the District Office at 770 Pacific Avenue. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays.

Resident elector eligibility

You may vote as a resident elector if you meet all of the following qualifications:

  • 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day, October 17, 2026.
  • Canadian citizen.
  • resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before the day you register.
  • resident of the District of Port Edward; and
  • not disqualified under the Local Government Act or another enactment from voting in an election and are not otherwise disqualified by law.

Non-resident property elector eligibility

If you own property in the District of Port Edward but live in another jurisdiction, you may be eligible to vote as a non-resident property elector if you meet all of the following qualifications:

  • 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day, October 17, 2026.
  • Canadian citizen.
  • resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before the day you register.
  • a registered owner of real property in the District for at least 30 days immediately before the day you register.
  • only registered owners of the property are individuals who are not holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust.
  • not entitled to register as a resident elector of the District of Port Edward.
  • not disqualified under the Local Government Act or another enactment from voting in an election and are not otherwise disqualified by law.
  • If the property has more than one registered owner, only one owner may register as a non-resident property elector. Written consent from the number of owners who, together with the person registering, form a majority of the registered owners is required.

Corporations are not entitled to vote, and a person cannot vote on behalf of a corporation.

Advance registration for non-resident property electors

Advance registrations for non-resident property electors will be accepted at the District Office, 770 Pacific Avenue, until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

Registrations will not be accepted during the closed period from August 26 to October 19, 2026. Qualified electors may still register at the time of voting.

Registering at the time of voting

If you are qualified to vote but your name is not on the List of Registered Electors, you may register at the voting place immediately before you vote.

Resident electors must provide at least two documents that show evidence of identity and place of residence. At least one document must contain the elector's signature.

Non-resident property electors must also provide satisfactory proof of their entitlement to register in relation to the property. If the property has more than one registered owner, written consent from the required majority of the other owners must also be provided.

Advance voting

The required advance voting opportunity will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Any qualified elector may vote at the advance voting opportunity; no special reason is required.

The voting place and the identification documents required for registration at voting will be confirmed in the Notice of Election by Voting.

List of Registered Electors

Public inspection

Beginning Tuesday, September 1, 2026 and continuing until the close of general voting on Saturday, October 17, 2026, a copy of the List of Registered Electors will be available for public inspection at the District Office, 770 Pacific Avenue, during regular office hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays.

Before inspecting the list, a person must sign a statement confirming that they will not inspect the list or use the information included in it except for the purposes of Part 3 - Electors and Elections of the Local Government Act.

Request to protect personal information

An elector may request that their address or other personal information be omitted from or obscured on the List of Registered Electors to protect the elector's privacy or security. To make a request, contact the Chief Election Officer or Deputy Chief Election Officer.

Objection to registration of an elector

An objection to the registration of a person whose name appears on the List of Registered Electors must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026.

An objection must be in writing and signed by the person making it. It may only be made by a person entitled to be registered as an elector of the District of Port Edward and only on the basis that the person whose name appears on the list has died or is not qualified to register as an elector of the District.

Candidate Information

Running for local office

Local elected officials make decisions that affect community services, land use, infrastructure, recreation and community planning. The District encourages prospective candidates to review the provincial candidate resources before submitting nomination documents.

Offices open for election

  • Mayor: one to be elected
  • Councillors: four to be elected

Candidate eligibility

A person is qualified to be nominated, elected and hold office as a member of local government if they meet all of the following requirements:

  • a Canadian citizen.
  • 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day, October 17, 2026.
  • a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed; and
  • not disqualified under the Local Government Act or another enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia, from being nominated for, elected to or holding office, and are not otherwise disqualified by law.

A candidate does not have to live or own property in the District of Port Edward to run for local office.

Order of names on the ballot

Under Election and Assent Voting Bylaw No. 727, 2022, the order of candidate names on the ballot will be determined by lot in accordance with section 117 of the Local Government Act.

Nomination packages

Nomination packages and information about nomination requirements and procedures will be available beginning August 4, 2026 at the District Office, 770 Pacific Avenue, during regular office hours, and on the District website.

The nomination period opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 and closes at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026. Late nomination documents cannot be accepted.

Submitting nomination documents

Nomination documents may be submitted during the nomination period as follows:

  • By hand, mail or delivery service: District of Port Edward, PO Box 1100, 770 Pacific Avenue, Port Edward, BC V0V 1G0.
  • By email: election@portedward.ca.

Submissions are accepted from 9:00 a.m. on September 1 until 4:00 p.m. on September 11, excluding statutory holidays and weekends.

Important: Candidates are responsible for ensuring their complete nomination documents are received by the deadline.

Campaign financing and advertising

Campaign financing and election advertising rules are established under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act and administered by Elections BC. Candidates and third-party sponsors are responsible for understanding and following the rules.

For the 2026 District of Port Edward general local election, the candidate expense limits are:

  • Mayor: $12,232.78
  • Councillor: $6,161.89

The third-party directed advertising expense limit for Mayor and Councillor is $924.28 during the campaign period from September 19 to October 17, 2026.

Elections BC candidate expense limits

Elections BC third-party expense limits

For campaign financing information, contact Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 or electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca.

Candidate resources

Election Notices

Notice to electors

This notice provides information about the Provincial Voters List, advance registration, elector qualifications, registration at voting, public inspection of the List of Registered Electors, privacy requests and objections.

Document: Notice to Electors - Advance Registration and List of Registered Electors

Notice of nomination

This notice provides information about the offices open for election, the nomination period, submission methods, candidate eligibility, campaign expense limits and election contacts.

Document: 2026 Notice of Nomination

Additional notices

The Notice of Election by Voting, declaration of candidates, determination of election results and other official notices will be posted as they become available.

Election Results

Election results will be posted on this page after voting closes on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Preliminary results are unofficial until confirmed by the Chief Election Officer. Official results will be posted once available.

Election Contacts

For more information about the District of Port Edward general local election, contact:

  • Tyson Schofield, Chief Election Officer: 250-600-0804
  • Alex Sirovyak, Deputy Chief Election Officer: 250-600-2723
  • Email: election@portedward.ca
  • District Office: 770 Pacific Avenue, Port Edward, BC
  • Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays