Election 2026

General Voting Day

The 2026 General Local Election for the Town of Lake Cowichan will be held on
Saturday, October 17 — 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Advance Voting opportunities will be held on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 — 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 — 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Eligible voters will elect the following:

• One (1) Mayor for the Town of Lake Cowichan; and
• Four (4) Councillors for the Town of Lake Cowichan.

Voting Location: Municipal Office, 39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, V0R 2G0

Who Can Vote

To vote in the 2026 General Local Election for the Town of Lake Cowichan, you must be either a Resident Elector or a Non-Resident Property Elector.

Voting is limited to Canadian citizens — permanent residents who have not yet obtained citizenship are not eligible. Corporations, numbered companies, and properties owned under a business name are not eligible to vote.

Resident Electors

You are eligible as a Resident Elector if you meet all of the following:

• You are a Canadian citizen
• You are 18 years of age or older on or before General Voting Day
• You have lived in British Columbia for at least six months immediately before registering
• You are a resident of the Town of Lake Cowichan
• You are not disqualified from voting under the Local Government Act or any other applicable law

Non-Resident Property Electors

If you own property in Lake Cowichan but live elsewhere in BC, you may be eligible to vote as a Non-Resident Property Elector (NRPE). You must:

• Meet all the criteria for a Resident Elector in another BC municipality or regional district
• Have owned property in the Town of Lake Cowichan for at least 30 days before registering to vote
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other applicable law

Only one Non-Resident Property Elector may vote per property, regardless of how many owners there are. If a property has multiple owners, the person voting must have written consent from a majority of the other owners to vote on their behalf.

Register to Vote

If you are not yet registered, you can register through Elections BC's website until August 18.
Town of Lake Cowichan Privacy Policy

Eligible voters who have not registered before the registration deadline can still register at their voting place when they vote by bringing the required identification.

Declared Candidates

The nomination period for the 2026 General Local Election closed at 4:00 PM on Friday, September 11, 2026. The following candidates were officially declared by the Chief Election Officer.

Voters will elect one Mayor and four Councillors for the Town of Lake Cowichan.

Meet the Candidates

View the official Declaration of Candidates (PDF)

Reminder: Upcoming All-Candidates Forums

Mark the dates! Residents are reminded of two upcoming All-Candidates Forums, hosted by the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce.

Community members who would like to submit questions for the candidates may email them in advance to info@cowichanlake.ca.

These forums provide an opportunity to hear directly from candidates ahead of the October 17, 2026 General Local Election. Residents are encouraged to attend, learn more about the candidates, and stay informed ahead of voting day.

For additional information about the forums, please visit the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce website.

Key Dates

All dates are set by Elections BC for the 2026 General Local Elections unless otherwise noted.

* Unregistered voters may still register on-site at the registration desk on General Voting Day, as well as on both Advance Voting dates.

Thinking About Running?

Serving on Council is a meaningful but significant commitment. Before filing nomination papers, we encourage all prospective candidates to review the candidate information presentation (coming soon). It covers the roles and responsibilities of elected office, relevant legislation, and what the job genuinely entails day to day.

The candidate information presentation will be posted here shortly. Check back soon.

Candidate Information Sessions

The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) hosted two online candidate information sessions on August 12, 2026. Resources from those sessions are available below. For additional candidate information, visit the CVRD Information for Candidates page.

• Candidate Information Workshop — Presentation (PDF)
• Recording — Evening Session (6:00 p.m.)

Nomination Papers

The nomination package contains all forms required to register as a candidate in the 2026 General Local Election. Forms have been recreated with the Town of Lake Cowichan header and reconciled against current legislative requirements.

Download the 2026 Candidate Nomination Package (PDF)

Additional Documents

If you have questions about the nomination process or which forms apply to your situation, please contact the Chief Election Officer.

Election Signage

Candidates must adhere to the Town of Lake Cowichan's signage bylaw when installing election signs. An application must be made and submitted along with a $100 refundable deposit.

Sign Regulation Amendment Bylaw (PDF)
Application for Election Sign Installation (PDF)

Election Bylaws

The Town of Lake Cowichan's election bylaw governs how the local election is conducted, including voting procedures, advance voting, and election advertising rules.

The current election bylaw is Bylaw 1133-2026 — ELECTION and ASSENT VOTING BYLAW.

Campaign Financing

2026 Candidate Expense Limits

Expense limits are established by Elections BC under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act and apply to the 2026 General Local Election.

For full details on financing rules, visit the Elections BC campaign financing page.

School District Trustee Election

The election for School District No. 79 (Cowichan Valley) trustee candidates is administered separately by the school district.

For School District trustee elections, the Town of Lake Cowichan only coordinates election-day administration. Anyone intending to run as a School District candidate must contact the School District directly for nomination paperwork, nomination review, and confirmation that they are an official candidate on the ballot. Please direct all School District candidacy questions to the School District, as the Town is not responsible for processing nominations.

Visit the School District No. 79 website for trustee election information.

Contact the Chief Election Officer

To book an appointment, ask a question, or submit a request about the 2026 election, email the Chief Election Officer directly: