How to vote in Nelson, BC

General voting day for Nelson’s 2026 municipal election is Saturday, October 17, 2026. Voters elect one mayor and six councillors.

When and where to vote

Voting days, times and places for Nelson’s 2026 municipal election
General voting day	Saturday, October 17, 2026, 8:00 am to 8:00 pmPrestige Lakeside Resort & Convention Centre, 701 Lakeside Drive
Advance voting	Wednesday, October 7 and Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 8:00 am to 8:00 pmCity Hall, 2nd floor, Council Chambers, 310 Ward Street
Voting by mail	Voting by mail is not available for the 2026 election.
Special voting	Special voting is held only on general voting day, Saturday, October 17, at five facilities. It is for electors who are patients or residents there. 9:00 am to 10:00 amNelson Fairview Gardens, 904 Eleventh Street, Nelson 10:30 am to 11:30 amJubilee Manor, 501 West Richards Street, Nelson 12:30 pm to 2:00 pmMountain Lake Seniors Community, 908 Eleventh Street, Nelson 2:30 pm to 4:30 pmLake View Village, 1020 Seventh Street, Nelson 5:00 pm to 6:00 pmKootenay Lake District Hospital, 3 View Street, Nelson

Who can vote

You can vote as a resident elector if you are:

18 or older on general voting day
a Canadian citizen
a resident of British Columbia for at least six months before you register
a resident of Nelson
not disqualified by law from voting

Renting counts: renters are resident electors.

If you own property in Nelson but live elsewhere, you may be able to vote as a non-resident property elector. You need to have owned the property for at least 30 days, you can’t already be registered as a resident elector, and where a property has several owners, only one of you can vote for it, with the written consent of the majority of owners.

Nobody votes more than once, however many properties they own.

What to bring

Registering in advance closed on August 25, 2026, so most people now register at the voting place, which takes a minute. Bring two pieces of identification, at least one with your signature, that show who you are and where you live. They don’t need to have a photo.

If you are already on the list of registered electors, you don’t need identification to get a ballot.

Non-resident property electors also bring proof that they own the property and, where it has several owners, the other owners’ written consent.

What’s on the ballot

Nelson elects one mayor and six councillors. You vote for one mayor and for up to six councillors.

Jess Phillips is a candidate for councillor. Read why she’s running, see where she will be before voting day, or request a lawn sign to show your support.

If you need help to vote

Election officials can help you mark your ballot, or you can bring someone with you. A translator can help too, after signing a declaration. If you need a ride to and from a voting location, please contact our campaign, and we will arrange one for you. For help at the voting place, including whether curbside voting is available, ask the City at elections@nelson.ca.

Official information

This page was checked against these sources on September 25, 2026. The City runs the election, so if anything here differs from the City’s own pages, go by the City. Questions about voting go to the City of Nelson’s Chief Election Officer at elections@nelson.ca.