Vancouver advance voting sets a new single-day record, with about 25,142 ballots cast

Vancouver has broken its civic election advance voting record for a second time in less than a week. Preliminary city figures show about 25,142 people voted on Wednesday, Oct. 7, the second advance voting day of the 2026 election. That is a record for a single advance voting day, about 15 per cent above the previous high of 21,824 set on Oct. 3, the first day of advance voting. The Oct. 7 total is 139 per cent higher than the 10,502 people who voted on the second advance voting day in the 2022 civic election.

The two preliminary daily counts add up to about 46,966 people, or roughly 27 per cent of the 171,494 ballots cast in the full 2022 civic election through advance voting, general voting day and mail-in voting. In just two days, this year’s advance voting has reached 72 per cent of the 2022 record of 65,127 ballots cast over five advance voting days.

The city said on Oct. 1 that requests for mail-in ballot packages had topped 18,000, more than 70 per cent above the 10,523 requested for the entire 2022 election. Some deadlines to request a mail-in ballot have now passed. Despite the higher participation, the city said wait times on Oct. 7 remained low. It cited more voting locations, larger spaces and additional technology to process voters. After long lineups during the April 2025 byelection, the city budgeted $9.4 million to operate this civic election, more than double the 2022 budget.

There are 59 advance voting locations this year, up from 22 in 2022. The increase in locations is likely one of the main factors behind turnout so far. The two remaining advance voting days are Saturday, Oct. 10, and Tuesday, Oct. 13; polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 17, also from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with 85 voting places open that day.

Vancouver voters will elect a mayor, city councillors, Vancouver Park Board commissioners and Vancouver School Board trustees. They will also answer questions in two separate plebiscites. The capital plan borrowing plebiscite concerns funding for new and upgraded facilities and infrastructure. A separate, non-binding public safety plebiscite will seek voters’ views on public hard-drug use and a proposed secure medical treatment facility for people with mental health and addiction issues.

Voters may cast ballots at any voting location in Vancouver on advance voting days and general voting day; they are not restricted to locations in their neighbourhood. One week after the civic election’s general voting day, voters across B.C. will return to the polls on Saturday, Oct. 24, for the snap provincial general election to elect an MLA for their riding. Advance voting in the provincial election begins Friday, Oct. 16.