---
title: "Vancouver's 2026 election drew 209,214 ballots, the highest turnout in over a decade"
description: "Preliminary figures from the City show turnout topped 43 per cent, up from 36.3 per cent in 2022, with official results expected October 21."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vancouver-election-2026-voter-turnout-october-18"
last_updated: "2026-10-19T00:56:35.669Z"
---

Preliminary figures from the City of Vancouver show 209,214 ballots were cast in Saturday's civic election, with turnout topping 43 per cent, Daily Hive reported on October 18. That is the highest turnout the city has recorded in more than a decade.

## More voters, more places to vote

The 209,214 figure is up from 171,494 ballots in the 2022 civic election, when turnout stood at 36.3 per cent, according to Daily Hive's report of the City's preliminary numbers. The increase amounts to 37,720 additional ballots.

Nearly 104,000 of the 2026 ballots were cast during the four-day advance voting period, the City's figures show. The City ran 59 advance voting locations this year, compared with 22 in 2022.

## Where 2026 stands in Vancouver history

Turnout had fallen in each of the two elections before this one. It was 43.4 per cent in 2014, then 39.4 per cent in 2018, then 36.3 per cent in 2022. The preliminary 2026 figure, at more than 43 per cent, puts this election at or near the 2014 level, according to Daily Hive.

The highest turnout on record for Vancouver is 50 per cent, set in 2002.

## Preliminary, not final

The City describes the 209,214 total as preliminary. The official results, along with the final turnout percentage, are expected on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. That is the deadline under the Vancouver Charter for the chief election officer to declare the official count.

Voters who want to follow the final count can check the results at [/results](/results) once the City publishes them.

## Questions and answers

**What was the total ballot count?**
Preliminary figures from the City show 209,214 ballots were cast across all four Vancouver races on election day and during advance voting.

**How does that compare to 2022?**
In 2022, 171,494 ballots were cast at a turnout rate of 36.3 per cent. The 2026 preliminary total is 37,720 ballots higher.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.