BC votes October 24, 2026
Premier David Eby called a provincial general election on September 22, 2026. British Columbians elect all 93 MLAs on Saturday, October 24, 2026. See the official Elections BC election page for the current, authoritative record.
Latest developments
- Oct 16, 2026 — Elections BC says advance voting is under way through Oct 21, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. local time. Check Where to Vote for locations and opening dates.
- Oct 13, 2026 — Ipsos found Conservatives 43%, NDP 38% and Greens 11% among decided voters (surveyed Oct 7–11). Poll details.
- Oct 5, 2026 — Angus Reid found Conservatives 48% and NDP 43% among decided and leaning voters (surveyed Oct 1–3). Poll details.
- Oct 4, 2026 — Elections BC confirmed 355 candidates in 93 ridings: 340 representing ten parties and 15 independent or unaffiliated. See the candidate list; later updates changed it.
- Sep 29, 2026 — Liaison Strategies found Conservatives 40% and NDP 39% among decided and leaning voters (surveyed Sept 26–27). This is a survey, not an election result. Poll details.
- Sep 24, 2026 — Angus Reid reported Conservatives 43%, NDP 35% among decided and leaning voters (surveyed Sept 22–24). Liaison Strategies reported NDP 41%, Conservatives 36% (surveyed Sept 21–22). These are separate surveys, not election results.
- Sep 22, 2026 — Seven CentreBC MLAs, including Peter Milobar, returned to the Conservatives (Global News); CentreBC now names Elenore Sturko as leader.
- Sep 22, 2026 — Premier David Eby called a provincial election, citing the U.S. trade war as an “existential” issue for BC. Voting day is Saturday, October 24, 2026 (iNFOnews). The pending Abbotsford-Mission by-election was cancelled and folded into the general vote (Elections BC).
- Sep 21, 2026 — The Conservative caucus named Lorne Doerkson (Cariboo-Chilcotin) interim leader by unanimous vote, after Findlay's resignation (Comox Valley Record).
- Sep 20, 2026 — Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as Conservative leader after 14 MLAs left the caucus since August (CTV News).
- Sep 15–17, 2026 — Pre-writ polls: Ipsos had the NDP at 45% and the Conservatives at 35% (Sept 8–14); Angus Reid had the NDP at 41% and the Conservatives at 37% (Sept 8–15). All polls.
Each item links to its source. Party standings and candidates are changing quickly during the campaign; see party leaders and candidates.
Key dates for the October 24 election
| Writ Day (campaign begins) | September 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Register or update details for a Where to Vote card | October 1, 2026 |
| Nomination deadline | October 3, 2026, 1 p.m. |
| Advance voting | October 16–21, 2026, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Vote-by-mail request deadline (online/phone) | October 18, 2026 |
| Final Voting Day | Saturday, October 24, 2026, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Final count | November 6–10, 2026 |
| Return Day (result becomes official) | November 18, 2026 |
Source: Elections BC — 2026 Provincial Election. This matches the Sept 16–22 call-window scenario Elections BC had already published in its Fall 2026 calendar: advance voting Oct 16–21, Final Voting Day Oct 24.
Why now
Elections BC's fixed-date law lets an election come early if the government decides to call one or loses the confidence of the Legislative Assembly (Elections BC). Eby cited the trade war with the United States, calling it an “existential” issue for BC that voters should have a say on (iNFOnews).
At the 2024 general election (October 19, 2024) the NDP won 47 of 93 seats, a one-seat majority (results summary). The Conservative caucus split in 2026 and Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as leader on September 20. Seven CentreBC MLAs, including Peter Milobar, rejoined the Conservatives on September 22 (Global News). See current party leaders and the 2024 results.
BC election 2026 FAQ
Is there a BC election in 2026?
Yes. Premier David Eby called a provincial general election on September 22, 2026. Voting day is Saturday, October 24, 2026 (iNFOnews; Elections BC).
When is the BC election?
Saturday, October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16–21, and candidate nominations closed October 3 at 1 p.m., according to Elections BC.
Why did Eby call an early election?
Eby cited the trade war with the United States, calling it an “existential” issue for BC that voters should have a say on (iNFOnews). BC's fixed election date was not due until October 21, 2028; the Election Act lets the government call one earlier.
Does the BC election overlap with municipal elections?
Yes. BC municipal elections are October 17, 2026, one week before the October 24 provincial vote. Some municipal leaders raised concerns about the two campaigns overlapping.
Who leads in BC election polls?
Ipsos's Oct 7–11 survey has Conservatives 43%, NDP 38% and Greens 11% among decided voters (source). Liaison's Oct 7–8 survey had Conservatives 43% and NDP 37% (source). See poll details.
Who are the BC party leaders?
David Eby leads the BC NDP, Lorne Doerkson is interim leader of the BC Conservatives, Emily Lowan leads the BC Greens, Elenore Sturko leads CentreBC and Dallas Brodie leads OneBC. See BC party leaders.
What happened to the Abbotsford-Mission by-election?
It was cancelled. Elections BC says the general election call on September 22 cancelled the by-election that had been scheduled for September 26, and folded the riding into the province-wide vote; ballots already cast do not count (Elections BC; Wikipedia summary).