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Voting Information

Who Can Vote

You can vote in a civic election in Kamloops if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • are a Canadian citizen * 
  • are 18 years of age or older on general voting day 
  • have lived in BC for at least six months
  • are not disqualified by law from voting

All Kamloops residents who meet these requirements can vote. It does not matter if you rent or own your home. If you own property in Kamloops but live somewhere else in BC, you can also vote in Kamloops elections. This is called being a "non-resident property elector." As such, you can vote, as long as you meet all of the following criteria:

  • are a Canadian citizen* 
  • are 18 years of age or older on general voting day 
  • have lived in BC for at least six months
  • have owned real estate in Kamloops, registered in your name, for at least thirty days 
  • are not disqualified by law from voting

Non-resident property electors can vote only once, regardless of the number of properties they own. If there is more than one registered owner of a property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the other owners, register as a "non-resident property elector". 

*Landed immigrants who are not yet Canadian citizens are not permitted to vote in civic elections. 
*Corporations are not entitled to vote.

Ways to Vote

Voting Process

To vote in a municipal election in Kamloops, all you have to do is go to a voting location on Election Day, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm and present two pieces of identification, at least one with your signature and one with your address, to the registration clerk, your name will be recorded and you can cast your ballot. On the ballot, do not vote for more candidates than there are candidates to be elected; however, you may vote for less than are required (ex. you can vote for a maximum of eight Councillors, but may choose to vote for only six Councillor candidates).

Here are the kinds of ID that are acceptable:

  • *BC Driver's License
  • BC ID card from Motor Vehicle Branch
  • ICBC Owner's Certificate of Insurance and Vehicle License
  • *BC Care Card
  • Status Card
  • Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security Request for Continued Assistance Form SDES8
  • Social Insurance card
  • Citizenship card
  • Property tax notice
  • Credit card or debit card
  • Utility bill for electricity, natural gas, water, telephone or cable services
  • Income assistance cheque stub showing name and ID number
  • Statutory declaration or sworn affidavit (from a notary public, lawyer, or commissioner for taking oaths)
  • *Please note: The combined BC Driver's Licence and BC Care Card will be considered as ONE piece of ID.

Voting Assistance

Do you need help voting? 

If you need help to vote (for example, to read the names, or to fill in the ballot), ask for the Presiding Election Official (PEO) in charge at the voting location. All Election staff must take an oath to preserve the secrecy of the ballot, so they can help voters with a physical disability or who have difficulty reading or writing. You may also bring someone you know to the voting place to help you. This person will have to take an oath of secrecy that will be given by the PEO. If you are unable to enter the voting place, you may ask to vote near the voting place.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

If English is your second language, you may bring your own translator to the voting place to assist you. They will be required to take an oath of secrecy, given by the PEO, prior to assisting you.

Electronic Voting Machines

Electronic voting machines have been used in the City of Kamloops since 2003. They are accurate, simple to use, and can provide final election results within minutes after the close of voting.

The Voting Booth

Go to the voting booth and make your choices with the special pen provided. Follow the instructions on the ballot.

Walk your completed ballot over to the electronic voting machine. Feed your ballot into the electronic voting machine. Staff will be there to assist you if you have a problem. Now you can wait for the election results to come in after the polls close at 8 p.m. Local media will report the election results as they come in and they will be available on our website. Unofficial results should be available around 10 p.m. on Election Day.