Perform Your Civic Duty
General Local Elections are held in Fort St. James every four years to elect a Mayor and four Councillors for the District of Fort St. James. You can do your part for our community and democracy by casting a vote during election season. The 2026 general local election will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
About Municipal Elections
Through general local elections, residents and non-resident property electors determine the individuals who collectively will make decisions and govern on their behalf following general voting day. Electors do this by voting – casting their ballots in favour of a candidate(s).
In BC general local elections for mayor, councillors, electoral area directors and school trustees are held every four years on the third Saturday of October.
General local elections are a shared responsibility between local governments and Elections BC. Each local government is responsible for running its own general local election and must appoint a local Chief Election Officer to run the elections process. General local elections must be run in accordance with the Local Government Act, the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, the Community Charter, the School Act, and election-related bylaws.
2026 General Local Election Key Dates
The 2026 General Local Election will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and the Advance Voting Opportunity on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
| Date | Activity |
| April 16 | Residency cut-off date for electors (must have been a BC resident since this date) |
| August 4 - September 11 | Nomination packages available |
| September 1 at 9:00 am | Nomination period begins |
| September 11 at 4:00 pm | Nomination period closes |
| September 15 at 4:00 pm | Deadline to challenge nominations and elector organizations endorsements |
| September 16 | Property ownership cut-off date for non-resident property electors (if you are not a resident, you may be eligible to vote if you have owned property in Fort St. James since this date) |
| September 18 | Deadline for:
|
| September 19 to October 17 | Campaign period |
| October 7 | Advance Voting Opportunity |
| October 17 8:00 am to 8:00 pm | General Voting Day |
| October 21 | Deadline to declare Official Election Results |
| November 3 | Inaugural Council Meeting (Oath of Office) |