How to vote in Victoria's 2026 civic election

What is on the ballot

One mayor. Eight councillors. School trustees for the Greater Victoria school district. You may vote for up to eight council candidates, and here is a detail seasoned voters use: you do not have to use all eight votes. Voting only for candidates you genuinely support gives your favourites more relative weight.

Who can vote

• Canadian citizen, 18 or older on election day
• Resident of BC for at least six months before registering
• Resident of the City of Victoria for at least 30 days
• Or a non-resident property elector: you own property in Victoria but live elsewhere in BC

Renters vote exactly where they live. No property, no lease minimum, no landlord involvement. Thirty days at your Victoria address is enough.

Get on the voters list, or register on the spot

Victoria uses the provincial voters list. Check or update your registration in a couple of minutes through Elections BC online voter registration. Already registered provincially at your current address? You are set.

Miss the list entirely? You can still vote. Register at the voting place with two pieces of ID, at least one carrying your signature. A BC driver's licence or BC Services Card plus a bank card or utility bill does the job. The province publishes full rules on its local elections voting page.

When and where to vote

General voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026, with voting places open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The City of Victoria publishes locations in the weeks before the election; any elector can use any City of Victoria voting place.

Advance voting is required by provincial law, and the first advance day falls on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Victoria has typically added a second advance day the following Wednesday, October 14. The City confirms dates, hours and locations in its official notices. Mail ballots were offered in 2022; watch the City's election pages for the 2026 process if you will be away.

Why this one matters more than most

Barely a third of eligible voters typically show up for Victoria civic elections, yet the winners set your property tax, your rent security, what gets built next door, and how downtown feels at night. The last council seat is often decided by a few hundred ballots. In an election this size, you are not a statistic. You are a margin.