Fewer than half of eligible BC voters cast a ballot on October 24, a record low since at least 1983
Preliminary figures from Elections BC show 48 per cent of eligible voters participated in the October 24 provincial election, down about 10 percentage points from 2024 and the lowest recorded in modern BC provincial elections.
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Preliminary figures from Elections BC show 48 per cent of eligible British Columbia voters cast a ballot in the October 24, 2026 provincial election, the lowest recorded in modern BC provincial elections, Global News reported on October 26. The figure is down about 10 percentage points from the 2024 election.
The BC NDP received more than 270,000 fewer votes than it did in the 2024 election. The BC Conservatives received about 49,000 fewer votes than in 2024.
What the figures show
Elections BC's preliminary figures cover ballots cast in person on voting day. Mail-in, assisted telephone and absentee ballots are counted during the final count, set for November 6 to 10, 2026, and may change the totals.
Global News included a graph of BC provincial election turnout from 1983 to 2026, showing 2026 as the lowest year.
What a researcher said
Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at UBC, told Global News the record-low turnout reflects a campaign that failed to motivate many voters who had previously supported the NDP.
"This is Mr. Eby's low-turnout election to own, and this is going to be part of his legacy," Prest said.
He said the NDP's decision to call an election two years after its 2024 majority appeared politically unnecessary to some voters. He said the party's failure to present a clear vision on housing affordability and jobs may have discouraged its own supporters from turning out. Some Conservative voters, he said, were motivated by frustration with the NDP's record rather than by a positive choice.
Prest said voters are more likely to participate when they believe their vote matters and when governments deliver on issues such as housing and jobs.
Follow the final count, which will add mail-in and absentee ballots to each district's total, at Elections BC's results page at results.elections.bc.ca, starting November 6, 2026.
Questions this story answers
What was BC's voter turnout in the October 24, 2026 provincial election?
Preliminary figures from Elections BC show 48 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot on October 24, 2026, according to Global News. Elections BC described the figures as preliminary. The final count, which adds mail-in, assisted telephone and absentee ballots, runs from November 6 to 10, 2026. The turnout is down about 10 percentage points from the 2024 provincial election.
Is 48 per cent a record low for a BC provincial election?
Global News reported that the 48 per cent preliminary turnout in the October 24, 2026 election is a record low based on Elections BC data going back to 1983. The article includes a graph of turnout in every BC provincial election from 1983 to 2026, which shows 2026 as the lowest.
How many fewer votes did the BC NDP receive compared to 2024?
The BC NDP received more than 270,000 fewer votes in the October 24, 2026 election than in the 2024 provincial election, Global News reported. The BC Conservatives received about 49,000 fewer votes than they did in 2024. Both figures come from Global News's reporting on Elections BC data.
Why did voter turnout fall to a record low in the 2026 BC election?
Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at UBC, told Global News that the record-low turnout reflects a campaign that failed to motivate many previous NDP supporters. He said the NDP's decision to call an election two years after its 2024 majority appeared politically unnecessary to some voters, and that the party's failure to present a clear vision on housing and jobs may have discouraged its own supporters from turning out.
When will Elections BC release final voter turnout figures?
Elections BC's final count, which adds mail-in, assisted telephone and absentee ballots to the voting-day total, runs from November 6 to 10, 2026. The current 48 per cent figure is preliminary. Follow updated counts at results.elections.bc.ca, which shows an 'As of' timestamp and updates as results are confirmed.
Did fewer people vote for both parties in 2026 than in 2024?
Yes. Global News reported that the BC NDP received more than 270,000 fewer votes in 2026 than in 2024, and the BC Conservatives received about 49,000 fewer. Stewart Prest told Global News that some Conservative voters were also motivated to send a message rather than to vote for a party, though the Conservative vote fell less than the NDP's.
Who reported on the record-low voter turnout?
Global News BC reporter Cohan Sassaman reported on the record-low voter turnout on October 26, 2026, based on preliminary figures from Elections BC and an interview with Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of British Columbia.
Where can I follow the final count of the 2026 BC election?
Elections BC publishes results at results.elections.bc.ca, including updated totals by district and party. The final count, which adds mail-in and absentee ballots, runs November 6 to 10, 2026. Each district result links to its page at /bc/provincial-2026/races/mla.
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