British Columbians are officially heading into a snap election, with final voting day called for Oct. 24. Here’s what voters need to know about when, where, and how the election will take place. Writs were issued Tuesday, Sept. 22, dissolving the legislature and kicking off the campaign period. Candidate nominations close at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. Advance voting will be available from Friday, Oct. 16, to Wednesday, Oct. 21. Advanced voting locations can be found on the Elections B.C. website. On final voting day, Saturday, Oct. 24, polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and voters will be assigned a location. Voters can request a vote-by-mail package online, by phone at 1-800-661-8683 or at a district electoral office. Mail-in votes must be received before 8 p.m. on Oct. 24. Those who are registered to vote by Oct. 1 will receive a card telling them where to vote on Oct. 24 and possible locations for advance voting. People can register to vote online, by phone or in person when they are at the polls. In order to vote, you must be a Canadian citizen, 18 or older on Oct. 24, and a B.C. resident since April 23, 2026. Preliminary results will be released as soon as possible, while the official final count is scheduled for Nov. 10. The Abbotsford-Mission byelection that was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, has been cancelled and any ballots already cast will not count toward the upcoming general election. Anyone who has already voted in that riding will need to vote again. “While both are taking place in October, the 2026 Provincial General Election and 2026 General Local Elections are separate electoral events,” Elections B.C. wrote in a notice. “Each election has its own voting dates and locations, voter eligibility requirements, and rules about election advertising.”
