CANELECTGEN 009-26 – Provincial General Election - British Columbia

Ref: Federal, Provincial and Territorial Electoral Events (A-LG-007-000/AF-001) 29 NOV 00 (CDS PUBLICATION)

1. MARPAC must ensure that ships are reading foreign broadcast.
2. A British Columbia (BC) provincial general election was called on Tuesday 22 Sep 26. Final voting day for the provincial general election will be on Saturday 24 Oct 26, from 08:00 hrs to 20:00 hrs (Pacific Time).
3. Eligible members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) may vote at any of the voting opportunities described in the BC election act 1996, R.S.B.C., c. 106, as amended. Under this act, in order to be eligible to vote in the provincial general election, a person must:
   1. Be a canadian citizen,
   2. Be 18 years of age or older on final voting day,
   3. Have been a resident of BC for at least six months immediately before final voting day, and
   4. Be registered as a voter on the provincial list of voters for the electoral district
4. A person who is not registered as a provincial voter may register when they vote, except for voters who vote by telephone. Voters who are eligible to vote by assisted telephone voting must ensure their registration is current by the close of voter registration at 23:59 hrs Pacific Time on 14 Oct 26.
5. Telephone voting is available from 08:00 hrs to 20:00 hrs (Pacific Time) from 16 Oct 26 to 23 Oct 26 and from 08:00 hrs to 19:00 hrs (Pacific Time) on 24 Oct 26. Call elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 to vote by telephone and identify yourself as a deployed member of the CAF.
6. British Columbia voters are required to prove their identity and place of residence in order to receive a ballot or to register when voting. Voters may meet this requirement by showing acceptable identification or being vouched for. Further information on acceptable identification and vouching is available online on the elections BC website.
7. For the purposes of determining a person s place of residence, section 32 of the BC election act states that an individual is a resident of the place where the individual lives and to which, whenever absent, the individual intends to return.
8. Section 32 of the BC election act further elaborates that CAF members do not lose their residency while engaged in service of the Government of Canada.
9. Eligible BC voters may now register, update or confirm their voter registration online at the elections BC website or by phone at 1-800-661-8683. General registration for the election closes at 23:59 (Pacific Time) on 14 Oct 26 - thereafter registration can only be done when voting.
10. 16 Oct 26 to 21 Oct 26 have been set as the dates for advance voting. Advance voting locations are open from 08:00 hrs to 20:00 hrs (local time) on each of the six days of advance voting.
11. For voters who are unable to attend a voting location on final voting day (24 Oct 26) or advance voting days (16 Oct 26 to 21 Oct 26) alternative voting options are:
    1. By mail-in voting package, or
    2. In person at the office of a district electoral officer before 16:00 hrs (Pacific Time) on 24 Oct 26
    3. Assisted telephone voting for registered voters (16 Oct 26 to 24 Oct 26)
12. A mail-in voting package, which can include a voter registration application, can be requested:
    1. Immediately, and latest at 20:00 hrs (Pacific Time) on 18 Oct 26, via the elections BC website.
    2. Mail-in voting packages can also be requested from the office of the district electoral officer until 16:00 hrs (Pacific Time) on 24 Oct 26.
13. The mail-in voting package contains instructions, an election ballot and the envelopes necessary to return the marked ballot by mail and protect the secrecy of the vote. The marked ballot must be received by elections BC by 20:00 hrs (Pacific Time) on 24 Oct 26 in order to be considered in the count of votes.
14. In respect of ships at sea, special arrangements are being made so that CAF members who wish to vote may do so using assisted telephone voting. These arrangements apply only to deployed CAF members who will not be able to vote on final voting day or at advance voting places.
15. Additional information regarding the 2026 provincial general election in British Columbia is available on the elections BC website or by calling 1-800-661-8683.
16. All CAF base commanders are to ensure the widest distribution of this message including its republication in routine Orders.