---
title: "Doerkson pledges bill to stop provincial elections from overlapping municipal ones"
description: "Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson says his first bill, if elected, would ban provincial elections within 60 days of municipal voting day."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/doerkson-respect-local-democracy-act-separate-elections-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-17T18:42:33.657Z"
---

Conservative leader [Lorne Doerkson](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson) pledged on October 14 to introduce a bill called the Respect Local Democracy Act as the first legislation of a Conservative government. The act would bar the province from holding a provincial election within 60 days of a municipal election. The pledge was reported by CityNews Vancouver through The Canadian Press.

This year's provincial election falls on October 24, one week after municipal voting day on October 17. Doerkson said the snap election called by NDP Premier David Eby on September 22 caused the overlap. He called the timing "irresponsible and selfish" and said "the provincial campaign has swallowed the local one," according to The Canadian Press. The provincial election is estimated to cost over $80 million, The Canadian Press reported.

## UBCM already called for the change

The Union of BC Municipalities passed a resolution in mid-September 2026 calling for the two election periods to be separated. UBCM president Jenna Stoner told The Canadian Press she was pleased to see a clear commitment on the question from the Conservatives.

## What the bill would do

Under the proposed act, the province would be prohibited from scheduling a provincial election within 60 days of a scheduled municipal election day. Doerkson said it would be one of the first bills his government introduces. The Canadian Press reported that under current scheduling rules, the next natural overlap between a BC provincial and municipal election would fall in October 2030.

The NDP did not respond to the pledge in the source article. The article did not say whether Elections BC or any other body would need to approve such a change.

## Before you vote

Advance voting for the provincial election runs October 16 to 21. Voting day is October 24, 2026. Candidate and party information is at [/bc/provincial-2026](/bc/provincial-2026). The Conservative Party of BC's page is at [/bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc](/bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc).

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