Resident electors
In order to be eligible to vote in general local elections or by-elections as a resident or non-resident property elector, a person must:
- Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day;
- Be a Canadian citizen;
- Have been a resident of BC for at least six months immediately before they register to vote;
- Be a resident of the municipality or electoral area on the day they register to vote; and,
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment, from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law.
Eligible electors who live on a First Nation reserve can vote. Where that person votes depends on whether the reserve is within the jurisdiction of a municipality or a regional district.
Non-resident property electors
When a person lives in one jurisdiction and owns property in one or more other jurisdictions, they may vote once in each of the other jurisdictions where they own property - as long as they meet the voter eligibility requirements.
A non-resident property elector must:
- Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day;
- Be a Canadian citizen;
- Have been a resident of BC for at least six months immediately before they register to vote;
- Be the registered owner of real property in the jurisdiction where they intend to vote for at least 30 days immediately before they register to vote; and,
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment, from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law.
If a person owns a property with one or more other individuals, only one person is eligible to vote as the non-resident property elector for that property. The owner entitled to vote must be designated in writing by a majority of the property owners.
A person cannot vote on behalf of a corporation, or as a non-resident property elector, based on a property owned wholly or in part by a corporation.
Voters Living on Reserve
Eligible Indigenous and non-Indigenous electors living on Reserve are entitled to vote in general local elections. You may be eligible to vote in a regional district electoral area election if you live in an area not included within a municipal boundary. Essentially, where that person votes depends on whether the Reserve overlaps with or is adjacent to a municipality or regional district boundary.
Voter Ineligibility
Resident electors and non-resident property electors are not eligible to vote in a local election if they:
- Have been convicted and sentenced for an indictable offence and are in custody;
- Have been found guilty of an election offence, such as intimidation or vote-buying; or,
- Do not otherwise meet voter eligibility requirements.
