Federal elections are held to decide the national government of Canada (MPs), which is responsible for issues like justice, defence, finance and more.
Provincial elections are held to decide the makeup of the provincial legislature (MLAs).
Local and band elections decide the governing body of a municipality, First Nation, or region such as Surrey, Hudson's Hope, or Musqueam nation.
Who can vote?
You must be at least 18 to vote in most elections. For provincial elections, you must have lived in the province for at least six months. Local elections vary but usually require 30 days of residence or property in the region.
Insider tip
You can vote in a federal and provincial election if you’ve been convicted of a crime.
Federal elections
- Register to vote. You can check your registration here.
- Place your vote
- Vote on Election Day at any of the polling stations.
- Vote at Advance Polling stations.
- Vote at an Elections Canada office.
- Vote by Mail.
What do I need register to vote?
You will need proof of name and address. If you don't have ID that has both your name and address you can bring a piece of ID and a bill with your address on it. For the complete list check out this site.
Insider Tip
If you're homeless you can still vote. You can have another voter from the same polling station come with you to affirm your residency as long as they have the ID necessary.
How do I register to vote?
You can check if you're currently registered here.
If you're not registered you can do the following:
- Online registration: Go to Elections Canada website and register. To do this you will need a driver's license or BCID.
- By Mail. You need to get a registration letter from one of the elections offices. Search the address here. You will need to provide proof of ID and mailing address.
- In person. You can go into any elections Canada office with 2 pieces of ID.
- At any polling station. You can register right before you vote. You must have a proof of name and address.
Provincial elections
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Register to vote. Register here if you are early, or you can call and check your status by calling BC Elections at 1-800-661-8683. You can also register when you arrive at the vote polling station.
- Place your vote:
- on Election Day at any of the polling stations.
- at Advance Polling stations.
- at a district electoral office.
- by Mail.
What do I need register to vote?
In BC, you need one of the following:
- a BC driver’s licence
- a BC Identification Card (BCID)
- a BC Services Card (with photo)
- a Certificate of Indian Status
Or you may show two documents, both with your name and one with your current home address. You can view a list here.
Insider Tip
Someone can vouch for you if you don't have ID. This person should be a registered voter, a guardian (such as a foster parent or social worker), or a family member. See more on vouching here.
How do I register to vote?
You can check if you're currently registered here.
If you're not registered:
- Online registration: Go to Elections BC's registration page. Have your driver's license or BCID ready.
- Phone voter registration at 1-800-661-8683.
Local and band elections
Local and band elections are run by each band, region, or municipality that holds the election. Each might have a different process, but some parts stay the same. Usually, you must be a resident of the area for at least thirty days before the election day.
You can read this guide for local elections in BC to learn more.