British Columbians head to the polls twice this month, choosing local governments, school boards and some other offices on Oct. 17 and a provincial government on Oct. 24.
The Jewish Independent was already immersed in preparing municipal election coverage when Premier David Eby called the snap provincial election. With just one issue of the paper remaining before both votes, we have concentrated our provincial reporting on candidate profiles. Our coverage introduces candidates who identify as members of the Jewish community, offering insight into their backgrounds and priorities. They do not, of course, constitute endorsements or a comprehensive survey of candidates.
Ten parties are fielding candidates across the province’s 93 ridings.
For information, visit CIJA’s B.C. Election Hub (cija.ca/bc_election_hub_2026), which includes an advocacy guide, community priorities, voting resources and responses from political parties as they become available. CJPAC, the Canadian Jewish Political Action Committee (cjpac.ca), can help community members and allies become politically involved, including volunteering on campaigns. Meanwhile, Upstanders Canada, which mobilizes Canadians to stand with Jews and Israel, has surveyed candidates in 17 municipalities about community safety and inclusion, specifically as they affect Jewish British Columbians, and those results will be released in the coming days at upstanderscanada.com.
Local election day is Saturday, Oct. 17. Advance voting dates vary by municipality or regional district. Consult your local government’s election website for complete schedule and voting locations.
Provincial advance voting runs Oct. 16-21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Final voting day is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time. Visit Elections BC (elections.bc.ca) for registration, identification requirements, voting locations and mail-ballot options.
– JI Editorial Board
