891,348 voters cast advance ballots in BC's six-day window, down from 2024
Elections BC released final advance voting totals on October 22 showing 891,348 BC voters cast ballots before voting day, down from 953,025 in 2024. Kamloops-area ridings saw a mixed picture.
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Elections BC released the final advance voting totals for the 2026 BC provincial election on October 22, showing 891,348 people cast ballots province-wide during the six-day window from October 16 to October 21, according to CFJC Today Kamloops.
That total is 61,677 fewer than the 953,025 advance votes recorded in the 2024 provincial election. Voting day is Saturday, October 24.
Kamloops-area results
In the Kamloops area, the picture varied by district. Kamloops Centre recorded 12,523 advance votes, up by 720 from 11,803 in 2024. Kamloops-North Thompson had 12,461 advance votes, up by 1,898 from 10,563 in 2024.
"If you don't vote, you can't make a change for anything," one Kamloops resident told CFJC on the last day of advance voting outside St. Paul's Cathedral. "You got to have your word out there, but I always go early and beat the crowds."
Three nearby districts posted fewer advance votes than in 2024. Salmon Arm-Shuswap had 13,589 advance votes, down by 473 from the 14,062 recorded in 2024. It still had the highest advance turnout of the five districts CFJC reported on. Cariboo-Chilcotin had 8,283, down by 190 from 8,473. Fraser-Nicola had 7,823, down by 888 from 8,711.
Elections BC published a PDF of advance voting participation by day on its 2026 provincial election page at elections.bc.ca. The full province-wide figure of 891,348 comes from that release.
Context
Advance voting ran for six days in both the 2024 and 2026 provincial elections. A lower advance turnout does not mean total election-day turnout will be lower, since voters who did not come out during advance voting may still vote on October 24.
CFJC also reported on a voter who spoke outside a Kamloops advance polling station, saying they came out early to avoid crowds. The province has 93 electoral districts, each choosing one MLA on October 24. To see all candidates running in a given district, visit /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla.
What voters can do
Advance voting has closed. Voters who did not cast an advance ballot can still vote at their assigned polling place on October 24. To find your polling place, visit Elections BC at elections.bc.ca or wheretovote.elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
How many people voted in advance polls for the 2026 BC election?
Elections BC reported on October 22, 2026 that 891,348 people cast advance ballots across British Columbia during the six-day advance voting window, which ran from October 16 to October 21. This is the final count for advance voting. Voters can still cast a ballot on voting day, Saturday, October 24. To find where to vote, visit Elections BC at elections.bc.ca or look up your district at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla.
How does the 2026 BC advance voting turnout compare to 2024?
The 891,348 advance ballots cast in the 2026 provincial election are 61,677 fewer than the 953,025 advance votes recorded in the 2024 provincial election, according to Elections BC figures reported by CFJC Today on October 22, 2026. Advance voting ran for six days in both elections. Voters who did not vote in advance can still vote on general voting day, October 24, 2026.
What happened in Kamloops Centre for advance voting?
In Kamloops Centre, 12,523 voters cast advance ballots between October 16 and October 21, 2026. That is 720 more than the 11,803 who voted in the equivalent advance period in 2024, according to Elections BC figures reported by CFJC Today. Voting day is October 24. The district page for Kamloops Centre is at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/kamloops-centre.
What happened in Kamloops-North Thompson for advance voting?
Kamloops-North Thompson had 12,461 advance votes cast in 2026, compared to 10,563 in 2024, a rise of 1,898 votes, according to Elections BC figures reported by CFJC Today on October 22, 2026. This was the largest increase in the ridings CFJC reported on. Voting day is October 24, 2026.
Which ridings near Kamloops saw lower advance turnout than 2024?
According to Elections BC figures reported by CFJC Today on October 22, 2026, three nearby ridings posted lower advance turnout than in 2024: Salmon Arm-Shuswap had 13,589 advance votes (down 473 from 14,062 in 2024), Cariboo-Chilcotin had 8,283 (down 190 from 8,473), and Fraser-Nicola had 7,823 (down 888 from 8,711). Voters in all three districts can still vote on October 24.
When does advance voting end?
Advance voting for the 2026 BC provincial election ended on October 21, 2026. It ran for six days from October 16 to October 21. Elections BC released the final advance turnout figures on October 22. Voters who did not cast an advance ballot can still vote on general voting day, Saturday, October 24, 2026.
Where can a voter find their polling place for October 24?
To find where to vote on October 24, 2026, visit Elections BC at elections.bc.ca or use the where-to-vote tool at wheretovote.elections.bc.ca. You can also find your district and the candidates running in it at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla.
Where does Elections BC publish advance voting turnout data?
Elections BC publishes advance voting participation figures on its provincial election page at elections.bc.ca. The 2026 advance voting data cited in this article comes from an Elections BC release reported by CFJC Today Kamloops on October 22, 2026. Elections BC also published a PDF of advance voting participation by day, available through its 2026 provincial election page.
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