2026 Local Elections
The next local election is scheduled for October 17, 2026. On this day, residents of Terrace have the opportunity to vote for Mayor City Councilors and School-Board Trustees.
About Municipal Elections
In British Columbia, local elections for mayor, councillors, and school-board trustees are held every four years in October. Elections are a direct way for the community to influence their local government and school district by voting for who gets to make decisions and to govern on your behalf.
These local elections are a shared responsibility between local governments and Elections BC. Local elections must be run in accordance with the Local Government Act, the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, the Community Charter, the School Act, and Election bylaws.
Full Government of B.C. local election voter guide here.
January 1 - September 18 Election Period April 16 Residency cut-off date for electors (must have been a BC resident since this date) April – August Election worker hiring period August 4 – September 11 Nomination packages available September 1
at 9amNomination period begins September 11
at 4pmNomination period closes September 15
at 4pmDeadline to challenge nominations and elector organizations endorsements September 16 Property ownership cut-off date for non-resident property electors (if you are not a resident, you may be eligible to vote if you have owned property in Terrace from this date) September 18
at 4pmDeadline for:
• Decision on challenge of candidate nomination
• Withdrawal of candidate
• Withdrawal of candidate elector organization endorsementSeptember 19 - October 17 Campaign period September 14 - October 15 at 4pm Mail ballot voting applications accepted October 7 -
October 15Advanced Voting October 17
8am - 8pmGeneral Voting Day October 17
at 8pmDeadline to return mail ballots to the Chief Election Officer October 20 Campaign signage must be removed October 21 Deadline to declare Official Election Results
Voter Information
Resident of Terrace
In order to be eligible to vote in general local elections or by-elections as a resident or non-resident property elector, a person must:- Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote
- Be a resident of Terrace on the day they register to vote
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law
Non-Resident of Terrace
When a person lives in one jurisdiction and owns property in one or more other jurisdictions, they may vote once in each of the other jurisdictions where they own property - as long as they meet the voter eligibility requirements.
A non-resident property elector must:- Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote
- Be the registered owner of real property in the jurisdiction where they intend to vote for at least 30 days immediately before they register to vote
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law
*Site Under Construction
Identification Requirements
Voters must show two pieces of acceptable identification at the time of voting. Together, the two pieces must show:- Your name
- Your residential address
- Include your signature
Examples of accepted identification include:- B.C. Driver’s Licence
- B.C. Identification Card
- B.C. Services Card (counts as one piece of ID when combined with a B.C. Driver’s Licence)
- B.C. Care Card or Gold Care Card (counts as one piece of ID when combined with a BC Driver’s Licence or Services Card)
- Canadian Passport
- Credit card or debit card
- Property tax notice
- Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
- Government-issued military ID
- Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence
- Certificate of Indian Status
- Current utility bill with your name and address
- ICBC Owner’s Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle Licence
- Citizenship or membership cards issued by a B.C. First Nation governing body
Métis Nation BC citizenship card - Any other document accepted by the Chief Election Officer
Advance Voting Day
Advance voting takes place before general voting day and is open to all eligible voters. You do not need a special reason to vote early. Dates and locations will be posted once they are confirmed.General Voting Day
General voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 8am to 8pm. Locations will be posted once they are confirmed.Mail Ballot Voting
Details regarding the mail ballot process will be posted once they are confirmed.*Site Under Construction
Candidate Information
To be eligible to run in an election or by-election, a person must:
- Be 18 years of age or older on general voting day
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before filing nomination documents
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or from being nominated for, being elected to or holding office, or be otherwise disqualified by law
A person is ineligible to run in a local election or by-election if they:- Have been convicted of and sentenced for an indictable offence and are in custody
- Have been found guilty of an election offence, such as intimidation or vote-buying, and are prohibited from holding office
- Are judges of the Provincial Court, Supreme Court or Court of Appeal
- Are involuntarily confined to a psychiatric facility or other institution
- Have been disqualified for specified reasons such as failing to:
- File a candidate disclosure statement in a previous election
- Make an oath of office
- Attend local government meetings in the manner and frequency required by the Community Charter
- Been disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or from being nominated for, being elected to or holding the office, or be otherwise disqualified by law
- Eligibility requirements for government employees and volunteers
Nomination dates and package will be available once confirmed.
Campaign Financing
Campaign financing rules for local elections are set by provincial legislation and administered by Elections BC. These rules include:- who can contribute to a campaign
- spending limits for candidates and third-party sponsors
- rules for election advertising
- public financial disclosure requirements
Third-Party Sponsors
A third-party sponsor is a person or organization that conducts election advertising independently from any candidate or elector organization.Third-party sponsors must register with Elections BC and must report their campaign financing as required under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.
For more information about campaign financing and advertising rules, please visit the Elections BC website.
Candidate information will be available once confirmed
Results
View the 2022 election results, voter turnout, and other election information here.