Vancouver's first-day advance voting turnout jumps 196% to record high
Vancouver voters in the civic election turned out in record numbers for the first day of advance voting on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, according to the City of Vancouver’s preliminary statistics.
Approximately 21,824 people voted during the first day of advance voting, representing a 196 per cent increase compared with the first advance voting day during the 2022 civic election.
This increase is likely due in part to the City’s significant expansion of advance voting opportunities. While the number of advance voting days decreased from five days in the 2022 civic election to four days in the 2026 civic election, the number of voting locations available each advance voting day has nearly tripled from 22 to 59 locations. Voters can conveniently cast their ballot at any location.
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To support these expanded operations, the City’s elections budget has more than doubled from $4.4 million for the 2022 civic election to $9.4 million for the 2026 civic election. This expanded budget to improve voting operations also follows the issue of long queues during the April 2025 by-election.
The high advance voting turnout on the first day also follows record demand for mail-in ballots. On Oct. 1, the City reported more than 18,000 requests for ballot packages, exceeding the entire 2022 civic election’s total of 10,523 by more than 70 per cent. The deadlines for mail-in ballot requests are now fast approaching.
Three advance voting days remain: Wednesday, Oct. 7; Saturday, Oct. 10; and Tuesday, Oct. 13. Eligible voters can cast their ballot at any of 59 advance voting locations, open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The civic election’s general voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, when 85 locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Like advance voting, voters can cast their ballot at any site.
In Vancouver’s civic election, voters will choose a mayor, city councillors, Vancouver Park Board commissioners, and Vancouver School Board trustees, as well as two separate plebiscites.
They will also vote on capital plan plebiscite borrowing questions to fund new and upgraded facilities and infrastructure. A separate non-binding public safety plebiscite will seek their views on public hard-drug use and a proposed secure medical treatment facility for people with mental health and addiction issues.
Then a week later on Saturday, Oct. 24, voters across British Columbia will head back to the polls for the separate provincial general election. Advance voting for the provincial election begins a day before civic election day.
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