Residents thinking about running for office in the 2026 Local General Election on Saturday, Oct. 17 are encouraged to learn about candidate eligibility, nomination requirements and submit their nomination from Sept. 1 to 11.
Nominations can be submitted for the following positions:
- Mayor — One to be elected
- Councillor — Six positions
- School Trustee — Five positions
Who Can Run?
To be eligible to run for Mayor, Councillor or School Trustee, a person must:
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Be 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day
- Have been a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before filing nomination papers
- Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other legislation from voting or holding elected office
Candidates do not need to live in the municipality where they are seeking office. Elected officials will serve a four-year term from November 2026 to October 2030.
Submit your nomination by Sept. 11
Nomination papers must be submitted between Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. and Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
Where to submit nomination papers
Nomination papers may be submitted to the Chief Election Officer, or designate:
- In person: City Hall, 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, B.C. during regular office hours (M-F 8am-4pm excluding stat holidays)
- By mail: 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9
- By email: election@MapleRidge.ca
“Serving in elected office is an important way to help shape the future of Maple Ridge,” said Carolyn Mushata, Director of Legislative Services and Chief Election Officer. “We encourage anyone considering on putting their name forward to take time to learn about the role, the nomination process and the responsibilities that come with running a campaign.”
Candidates are encouraged to submit their nomination papers in person. This allows election staff to review the documents with the candidate and help identify any missing information before the deadline. Appointments can be booked through the City website. Candidate nomination packages and election information are available at MapleRidge.ca/Candidates and at City Hall.
Campaign advertising and third-party advertising
Candidates are responsible for understanding and following all campaign financing and advertising rules. Anyone who wants to sponsor election advertising as a third-party sponsor must follow Elections BC rules.
A third-party sponsor is a person, organization or group that runs advertising to support or oppose a candidate, elector organization or a position on an election-related issue but is not doing so as part of a candidate’s official campaign.
Third party sponsors must register with Elections BC before sponsoring or conducting any election advertising during the pre-campaign period or campaign period. Election advertising can include paid messages in places such as social media site, websites, digital ads, newspapers, radio, signs, flyers, brochures or other printed materials.
Third party sponsors are responsible for following all applicable Elections BC rules, including registration, sponsorship information, spending limits and financial disclosure requirements. For information about third party advertising rules and how to register, visit https://elections.bc.ca/local-elections/local-advertising-sponsors/.
Mark your calendars: Three ways to vote
Eligible voters will have three options for how they cast their ballot in the 2026 Local General Election:
- Vote Early: Wednesday, Oct. 7, Saturday Oct. 10, Wednesday, Oct. 14, Thursday, Oct. 15.
- General Voting Day: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Vote by Mail: Eligible voters may choose to vote by mail. Applications will be available beginning Sept. 17 with mail ballots available beginning Oct. 7. Completed mail ballots must be received by the Chief Election Officer no later than 8:00 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2026. Information, and mail ballot applications, will be available on the City’s election webpage and at City Hall.
For more details on voting locations and who can vote, visit MapleRidge.ca/GoVote.
For more information about running for Mayor or Councillor, visit MapleRidge.ca/Candidates or contact Election@MapleRidge.ca.
For information about running for School Trustee, visit sd42.ca/local-elections or contact School District No. 42 at Elections@sd42.ca.