Electors living on Reserve

General local elections are held every four years on the third Saturday of October. The next general voting day is Saturday, October 17, 2026. Voting places are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time on general voting day.

Where to Vote

Eligible Indigenous and non-Indigenous electors living on Reserve are entitled to vote in general local elections – where they vote depends whether the lands they live upon are included within a municipal or regional district electoral area boundary.

• If the Reserve is geographically located within a municipality and included within the Letters Patent, you are eligible to vote for mayor and council of that municipality
• If the Reserve is geographically located within a municipality and the Letters Patent excludes the Reserve from being within the municipal boundary, you are eligible to vote for the director of the regional district in which the Reserve is geographically located
• If the Reserve is partly located within a municipality and included within its Letters Patent, and you reside in that portion of the Reserve, you are eligible to vote for mayor and council of the municipality. If you live in the portion of the Reserve that extends into the regional district, you are eligible to vote for the electoral area director of that regional district
• If the Reserve is partly located within a municipality and the Letters Patent excludes it from being within the municipal boundary, eligible Indigenous or non-Indigenous electors for the entire Reserve vote for the electoral area director of the regional district in which the Reserve is geographically located
• If you live in the part of the Reserve that is located within one of the two electoral areas, you are eligible to vote for a director for that electoral area. The electoral area boundaries can be confirmed with the regional district

• Contact the applicable local government for information about where to vote

Indigenous and non-Indigenous Voter Eligibility

You are eligible to vote in local government elections as an Indigenous or non-Indigenous person living on Reserve when you:

• are 18 years of age or older when you register to vote, or will be 18 years of age or older on general voting day
• are a Canadian citizen
• have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before you register to vote
• are a resident of the Reserve on the day you register to vote and
• are not disqualified under the Local Government Act, any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law

You are eligible to vote as a non-resident property elector when you:

• are 18 years of age or older when you register to vote or will be 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
• are a Canadian citizen
• have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before you register to vote
• are the registered owner of real property in the jurisdiction where you intend to vote for at least 30 days immediately before you register to vote and
• are not disqualified under the Local Government Act, any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law

You cannot vote in local government elections when you:

• 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 meet voter eligibility requirements
   

• Voter’s Guide for Electors Living on Reserve (PDF, 334KB)