Maple Ridge residents get a final chance to vote Oct. 17; results available online and at City Hall

Maple Ridge residents have one final opportunity to vote in the 2026 Local General Election on Saturday, Oct. 17. Voting places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Unofficial results will be posted after ballots are counted and verified by the Chief Election Officer, and updates will continue through the evening. Residents can follow the results at MapleRidge.ca/ElectionResults or watch them live in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 11995 Haney Place.

Results for mayor, councillors, school trustees and three assent vote questions about proposed long-term borrowing for Recreation Ready projects will be posted as ballots from advance voting, mail-in voting and General Voting Day are tabulated and verified. All results shared on election night are unofficial. The Chief Election Officer will declare official results at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. The period for applications for judicial recounts and election challenges begins once the results are declared.

**How votes are counted**

Election officials verify each voter’s identity and eligibility using the Provincial List of Voters. Residents who are not registered can register when they vote by providing two pieces of identification showing their name and residential address. After verification, voters receive a paper ballot and sign a declaration confirming they are eligible and have not already voted in the election. They mark their choices in a private voting booth and feed the ballot into an electronic tabulator. A video explaining the count is available at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pdnJusLYVvw.

The tabulator scans the ballot, records the vote and securely stores the paper ballot. Once voting closes on Oct. 17, ballots from voting places, mail voting and special voting opportunities are counted and verified before unofficial results are released.

General Voting Day gives residents an opportunity to help shape Maple Ridge’s future by electing a mayor, six councillors and five school trustees. Voters will also answer three assent questions related to proposed long-term borrowing for Recreation Ready projects.

**Voter turnout**

Advance voting and mail-in ballots have drawn strong early interest. A total of 7,509 people voted during advance voting on Oct. 7, 10, 14 and 15, an 86 per cent increase from the 4,045 people who voted during six advance voting dates in the 2022 municipal election. In 2022, 14,491 ballots were cast overall, for turnout of approximately 21.87 per cent. Turnout in 2018 was approximately 33.5 per cent.

**General Voting Day: Saturday, Oct. 17**

The following voting places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

- Whonnock Elementary School — 27471 112 Ave. - Garibaldi Secondary School — 24789 Dewdney Trunk Rd. - Albion Community Centre — 24165 104 Ave. - Yennadon Elementary School — 23347 128 Ave. - Thomas Haney Secondary School — 23000 116 Ave. - Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre — 12150 224 St. - Laity View Elementary School — 21023 123 Ave. - Hammond Elementary School — 11520 203 St.

**Who can vote?**

People who own or rent their home can vote as resident electors if they are at least 18 on General Voting Day, are Canadian citizens, have lived in British Columbia for at least six months before registering, live in Maple Ridge and are not disqualified from voting by law. People who live outside Maple Ridge but own property in the city may be eligible to vote as non-resident property electors.

**Mail ballots must reach City Hall by 8 p.m. Oct. 17**

Completed mail ballots must be received by the Chief Election Officer at City Hall by 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Late ballots cannot be accepted. Voting information, including candidate profiles, voting locations, eligibility and mail ballot applications, is available at MapleRidge.ca/GoVote (the source also lists http://mapleridge.ca/Elections) or by email at Election@MapleRidge.ca.