VANCOUVER: Advance voting in the City of Vancouver’s 2026 general election is open today (Wednesday, Oct. 7) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with 59 advance voting places in use, according to the city’s election information pamphlet.
Today is the second of four advance voting days. The city says advance voting runs on Oct. 3, 7, 10 and 13, all from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, also from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at 85 voting places.
In a Sept. 22 report on the election, Daily Hive quoted the city as saying the number of voting locations has been significantly expanded this year, especially for advance voting.
What is on the ballot
According to the city, the two-sided ballot includes candidates for mayor, city councillor, park board commissioner and school board trustee, along with capital plan borrowing questions. The city’s Sept. 11 announcement, issued when nominations closed, listed eight candidates for mayor, 56 for councillor, 35 for park board and 32 for school board. The city noted at that time that the candidate list could still change until Sept. 18, the deadline for nomination challenges and withdrawals. Daily Hive, citing the ballot, reported eight mayoral candidates and 10 council seats, seven park board seats and nine school board seats up for election. Readers should check vancouver.ca/candidates for the current list.
Who can vote and what to bring
The city says voters must be at least 18, a Canadian citizen, a resident of B.C. for at least six months before registering, and either live in Vancouver or own property there. The city’s pamphlet states that permanent residents cannot vote.
Voters must bring two pieces of eligible identification. The city says both must show the voter’s name, at least one must show an address and at least one must show a signature. Accepted documents include a driver’s licence, passport, student card, utility bill and library card. A solemn declaration is available as an alternative for voters who have only one piece of identification.
Voting by mail
The window to apply for a mail-in ballot package ran from Sept. 8 to noon on Oct. 5, so it has now closed. Ballot packages began going out on Sept. 29. According to the city, a mailed ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Oct. 17 to count, so voters who already have a package in hand should return it promptly or drop it off as the city directs.
Accessibility
The city lists priority access lines, curbside voting, ballot assistance, magnifiers and assistive ballot-marking devices among its accessibility supports. Guide and service animals are welcome at all voting places.
What to check before heading out
This report is based on the City of Vancouver’s published election materials and one Daily Hive report. It does not list individual voting places or their opening arrangements. Voters should confirm the location nearest them and any day-specific details on the city’s election pages at vancouver.ca before they go. Where figures in this article differ slightly between sources, the city’s own notices are treated as the authority.
Advance voting continues on Oct. 10 and Oct. 13, ahead of general voting day on Oct. 17.
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