Voting Information

Who Can Vote

You can vote in a civic election in Kamloops if you:

  • are a Canadian citizen* 
  • are 18 years of age or older on general voting day 
  • have lived in British Columbia 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 British Columbia, 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:

  • are a Canadian citizen* 
  • are 18 years of age or older on general voting day 
  • have lived in British Columbia for at least six months
  • have owned real estate in Kamloops, registered in your name, for at least 30 days 
  • are not disqualified by law from voting

Non-resident property electors may only vote once, regardless of how many properties they own. If a property has more than one registered owner, only one of those individuals may register as a non-resident property elector, and they must have the written consent of the majority of the other owners. 

Please be aware that a person can only be a resident of one area at a time for voting and cannot vote as both a resident and a non-resident property elector in the same municipality or electoral area.

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

Note:  A person holding a property in trust for a corporation (e.g. numbered company) or another trust is not eligible to vote as a non-resident property elector.

Note:  Corporations are not entitled to vote.

Ways to Vote

Voting Process

You do not need to register as an elector in advance to vote in a municipal election in Kamloops. To vote, visit a voting location on an advance voting day or on general voting day between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. Bring two pieces of identification: at least one must show your signature, and at least one must show your address. (The combined BC driver's licence and BC Services card will be considered as ONE piece of identification.) After a registration clerk records your name, you can cast your ballot. Do not vote for more candidates than the number to be elected. You may vote for fewer candidates if you choose. For example, while you can vote for up to eight Councillors, you may choose to vote for only six.

Here are the kinds of identification that are acceptable:

  • BC driver’s licence*
  • BC identification card (BCID)
  • Photo BC Services card*
  • Non-photo BC Services card
  • Car insurance papers
  • Social Insurance Number 
  • Citizenship Card issued by the Government of Canada
  • Property tax notice 
  • Credit card or debit card
  • Utility bill, such as cable services, electricity, gas, telephone services, or water
  • Indian Status card (a document issued by the Government of Canada that certifies that the applicant is registered as an Indian under the federal Indian Act)
  • Citizenship or membership card issued by a First Nation
  • Citizenship card issued by Métis Nation British Columbia

*Please note: The combined BC driver's licence and BC Services card will be considered as ONE piece of identification.

Presiding Election Officials may accept, the following at their discretion:

  • Valid current passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Firearms licence
  • Voter notification card
  • Nexus card

Voting Assistance

Do you need help voting? 

If you need help to vote (e.g. to read the names or to fill in the ballot), ask for the Presiding Election Official 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 administered by the Presiding Election Official. If you are unable to enter the voting place, you may ask to vote near the voting place.

If you require a Braille overlay, you may request that an election official provide you with a ballot, the Braille overlay to be placed on top of the ballot, and instructions written in Braille. 

English as a Second Language

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 administered by the Presiding Election Official before 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 using the 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. Then you can wait for the election results to come in after the polls close at 8:00 pm. Local media will report the election results as they become available, and they will be available on our website. Unofficial results should be available around 10:00 pm on election day.