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Elections B.C. says candidates have been finalized for the 2026 provincial election. Candidate nominations closed at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday, Oct. 3.
According to the finalized list, there are 355 candidates running, with 340 representing ten political parties, and 15 candidates running as independent or unaffiliated.
The B.C. Conservatives are running 93 candidates, covering all of the ridings, however the B.C. NDP is one candidate short at 92, with no representative running in Peace River North. B.C. NDP Campaign Director Cheryl Oates says the paperwork on the party’s final candidate was incomplete.
The B.C. Greens are running 73 candidates, CentreBC has 35 candidates, and OneBC has 33.
Candidates who registered as independent will appear on the ballot with the word “Independent” next to their name, notes Elections B.C.’s website.
The website also notes that candidates who have not been endorsed by a party nor registered as independent will appear on the ballot with just their name.
By contrast, in the 2024 provincial election there were 322 candidates, with 269 representing seven political parties, and 53 running as independent or unaffiliated.
Advance voting will take place on Oct. 16 to Oct. 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
The last day British Columbians can vote will be on Oct. 24, the final day of the election, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT.
You can find more details on voting dates and voting locations on Elections B.C.’s website.