Coquitlam’s local election is Saturday, Oct. 17; city urges residents to vote

The City of Coquitlam says more than 6,700 voters have already cast ballots in its municipal election. Saturday, Oct. 17, is the last chance for eligible voters to choose who will represent them at City Hall and on the School District 43 Board of Education. Just over one-quarter of eligible voters went to the polls in Coquitlam’s 2022 election. The city says municipal decisions affect parks and recreation, public safety, community planning and housing, business zoning, property taxes, festivals and events. Municipalities also provide services including water, sewer, roads, fire protection and policing.

General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17. The 23 voting locations across the community will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. All are wheelchair accessible and offer curbside voting. Coquitlam does not issue “Where to Vote” cards; voters need to bring two pieces of identification to any municipal voting location. A map is available at coquitlam.ca/elections under “Voting Locations.”

The 2026 Coquitlam municipal election will choose one mayor, eight councillors and four School District 43 trustees for Coquitlam—Area 1. Candidate lists and campaign profiles are available at coquitlam.ca/candidates. Unofficial results will be posted in real time as they become available after 8 p.m. on Oct. 17 at coquitlam.ca/elections and on the city’s social media channels.

A provincial election has also been called for Saturday, Oct. 24. Eligible voters will elect a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) for their riding. Provincial advance voting may overlap with Coquitlam’s general voting day on Oct. 17, sometimes at the same location. The two elections are separate, with different candidates, voting locations and voting days. Municipal voters may vote at any municipal voting location, while Elections BC will deliver “Where to Vote” cards to registered voters for the provincial election. Information about the provincial election is available from Elections BC.

Media contact: Stephanie Nichols, Chief Election Officer, City of Coquitlam; elections@coquitlam.ca.

The City says the name Coquitlam derives from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, meaning “Red Fish Up the River.” The city acknowledges with gratitude and respect that it is on the traditional and ancestral lands of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, including areas historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ and other Coast Salish Peoples.