Former mayor Harcourt and two ex-councillors endorse Rebecca Bligh for mayor
Vote Vancouver published an announcement on 5 October saying Mike Harcourt, Peter Ladner and Geoff Meggs have backed Rebecca Bligh for the October 17 mayor's race.
Announcement. A campaign, a party or the City chose to say this. voche.me reports it as their claim. Read the original report on votevancouver.ca.
Vote Vancouver published an announcement on 5 October 2026 saying three former Vancouver city leaders have endorsed Rebecca Bligh for mayor in the October 17 election. The party says Mike Harcourt, Peter Ladner and Geoff Meggs made the endorsement on October 2.
Harcourt, Ladner and Meggs each held elected office in Vancouver under different political parties. The announcement quotes a joint statement from the three: "We have led Vancouver. Rebecca Bligh should lead it next. Between us, we have represented several of the parties this city has produced. On plenty of issues, we still disagree. On this one, we don't. Rebecca Bligh is the best choice to be Vancouver's next mayor."
What Vote Vancouver says about its candidate
The announcement describes Bligh as a city councillor since 2018 and a former leader of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Those details appear in the Vote Vancouver press release as the party's own description of their candidate.
The announcement also quotes the endorsers as citing Bligh's leadership of the federation, her council record and what they called her willingness to work across party lines as reasons for their support. "Vancouver deserves a mayor who listens and hears them, and can work through disagreements and get the job done," the statement says.
Vote Vancouver's announcement says that if elected, Bligh would become the first woman mayor in Vancouver's 140-year history. That is the party's claim.
Bligh's response
Vote Vancouver's announcement quotes Bligh: "I'm honoured to have Mike, Peter and Geoff's support. They know what this job demands and, despite their political differences, they agree that Vancouver is ready for new leadership."
The announcement also credits "the entire Vote Vancouver team" for building the campaign over the past year. That passage comes from Bligh's own statement as quoted on the party's website.
What this means for your vote
Advance voting is open on October 3, 7, 10 and 13. Voting day is October 17, 2026. You can check voting locations and registration at /where-to-vote. More on Rebecca Bligh's positions is at /candidates/rebecca-bligh.
Questions this story answers
Who endorsed Rebecca Bligh for Vancouver mayor?
Vote Vancouver published an announcement on 5 October 2026 saying Mike Harcourt, Peter Ladner and Geoff Meggs have endorsed Rebecca Bligh. Harcourt served as Vancouver mayor and later as premier of British Columbia. Ladner and Meggs each served as Vancouver city councillors. The three came from different political parties during their time in office.
When did the endorsement happen?
Vote Vancouver's announcement is dated October 2, 2026. The party published it on its website on 5 October 2026. Advance voting in the Vancouver municipal election is open on October 3, 7, 10 and 13, and election day is October 17, 2026.
What did the three endorsers say about Rebecca Bligh?
Vote Vancouver's announcement quotes Harcourt, Ladner and Meggs in a joint statement: 'We have led Vancouver. Rebecca Bligh should lead it next. Between us, we have represented several of the parties this city has produced. On plenty of issues, we still disagree. On this one, we don't. Rebecca Bligh is the best choice to be Vancouver's next mayor.' Those words appear on the Vote Vancouver website as the party's own published statement.
What experience does Rebecca Bligh have?
Vote Vancouver's announcement says Bligh has served on Vancouver City Council since 2018 and led the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. These are the party's claims about their own candidate's background. The announcement also says the endorsers cited her leadership of that federation, her council service and her record of working across party lines as reasons for their support.
Would Bligh be Vancouver's first woman mayor?
Vote Vancouver's announcement states that if elected, Rebecca Bligh would become the first woman mayor in Vancouver's 140-year history. That is the party's own claim. Vancouver was incorporated in 1886, which would put the anniversary at 2026. The site is presenting this claim as Vote Vancouver's statement, and we have not verified it independently.
Where can I find the full endorsement statement?
The full statement is on the Vote Vancouver website at votevancouver.ca/news/endorsement. Vote Vancouver is the party supporting Rebecca Bligh's mayoral campaign. The announcement includes a joint statement from Harcourt, Ladner and Meggs, as well as a statement from Bligh herself responding to the endorsement.
How do I vote in the Vancouver municipal election?
Advance voting takes place on October 3, 7, 10 and 13, 2026. The general voting day is October 17, 2026. You can find voting places and check whether you are registered on the City of Vancouver's election office page, linked from the where to vote page on this site at /where-to-vote.
Where can I read more about Rebecca Bligh's campaign?
The candidate profile for Rebecca Bligh is at /candidates/rebecca-bligh on this site. It covers her position on the ballot, her party affiliation with Vote Vancouver, and links to her campaign page. Vote Vancouver's full platform and other announcements are on the party page at /parties/vote-vancouver.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Vote Vancouver endorsement announcementvotevancouver.ca
- Rebecca Bligh candidate profilevoche.me
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