TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: November 2, 2026 Report No. ADM-26-052
TO: Council
FROM: Sarah Holloway, Chief Election Officer
SUBJECT: 2026 General Local Election Final Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council receive Staff Report No. ADM-26-052 outlining the official results of the 2026 General Local Election held on October 17, 2026, for information.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The purpose of this report is to satisfy the statutory requirements of section 158 of the Local Government Act which states that within 30 days after the declaration of official election results the Chief Election Officer must report out those results. The official election results were declared on October 20, 2026.
BACKGROUND:
In accordance with the Local Government Act, a General Local Election for Mayor and Council must be held every four years on the third Saturday of October. Under the School Act municipalities are also responsible for conducting school trustee elections within their trustee electoral areas on the same timeline.
ANALYSIS:
The Township of Esquimalt conducted the 2026 General Local Election to elect one Mayor, six Councillors and one school trustee. There were a total of 16 candidates across the three contests; two for Mayor, twelve for Councillor, and two for School Trustee.
Voting Opportunities
The following voting opportunities were available to all eligible Esquimalt electors:
October 7, 2026: Advance Voting, Esquimalt Recreation Centre Jubilee Hall
October 14, 2026: Advance Voting, Esquimalt Recreation Centre Jubilee Hall
October 17, 2026: General Voting Day, Esquimalt Recreation Centre Jubilee Hall
Mail Ballot Voting: Applications accepted between August 17 - October 13, 2026.
These four voting opportunities met the requirements of both the Local Government Act and the Elections and Assent Voting Procedure Bylaw, 2022, No. 3068. This was the third time that mail ballot voting was utilized in Esquimalt, having ...
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