Municipal Election 2026

To run for a seat on Council, candidates must be:

• a Canadian citizen;
• 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day;
• a resident of B.C. for at least six months before the day nomination papers are filed; and
• not be disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment.

Nomination documents will be available on this page and in-person at the Municipal Office in August 2026.

To be nominated, a candidate must:

• Consent to the nomination;
• Submit nomination documents;
• Be nominated by at least 2 nominators (a nominator must be eligible to vote in Tofino as a resident elector or as a non-resident property elector);
• Submit a Financial Disclosure Statement that identifies corporate and personal holdings.

The nomination period opens September 1, 2026, at 9 AM and closes on September 11, 2026, at 4 PM.

The Chief Election Officer accepts nomination documents only during the nomination period.

Candidates can submit their nomination documents to the Chief Election Officer by:

Email: election@tofino.ca

Mail: 

District of Tofino

ATTN: Chief Election Officer

121 Third Street

PO Box 9

Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0

In Person: District of Tofino Municipal Office, 121 Third Street, Tofino, BC

Elections BC administers, investigates and enforces campaign financing, third-party sponsor and election advertising provisions under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.

Information can be found on the Elections BC website, including online learning modules regarding:

• Campaign Financing
• Electoral Organizations
• Third-Party Advertising

According to the District of Tofino Sign Control Bylaw No. 1193, 2014, candidates are permitted to display campaign signage based on the following guidelines:

• Signs cannot be erected more than 30 days prior to the election in question
• Signs must be removed within 7 days after the election

Council Orientation

Successful candidates must be available between November 2 – 14, 2026, as well as on November 19, 2026, to participate in post-election activities, including the inaugural Council meeting, the swearing-in ceremony for new Council, and Council orientation sessions.

Additional orientation and onboarding dates may be scheduled throughout November 2026 and into 2027. Candidates are encouraged to keep their schedules flexible during this period to ensure they can attend all required meetings and training sessions.

Council Meeting Attendance

Serving on Council requires regular attendance at scheduled Council meetings and Committee of the Whole meetings.

Each year, Council approves an annual meeting schedule that lists the dates, times and locations of these meetings. The schedule is made available to the public.

Council members may miss up to:

• Four regular Council meetings per year for vacation or illness
• One Committee of the Whole meeting per year for vacation or illness

The Province of B.C. has additional information about running for local office.