Elections

The Township uses the Provincial Voters List for the list of electors.  If you are not on the list of electors, you may register at the time of voting by completing the application form available at the voting place and making a declaration that you meet the qualifications to be registered as follows:

Resident Electors: 

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election; 
• a Canadian citizen; 
• a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; 
• a resident of the Township of Esquimalt on the day of registration; and
• not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disqualified by law. 

Resident electors must produce at least 2 pieces of identification that provide evidence of your identity and residency (at least one with a signature). Picture identification is not necessary. A list of acceptable ID can be found at Elections BC - Voter ID 

Non-Resident Property Electors: 

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day for the election; 
• a Canadian citizen; 
• a resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately before the day of registration; 
• a registered owner of real property in the Township of Esquimalt for at least 30 days immediately before the day of registration; 
• not entitled to register as a resident elector; and 
• not disqualified under the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election and not otherwise disqualified by law.

Please note that the title of the property can not be in the name of an individual who is holding the property in trust for a corporation or another trust. 

Non-Resident property electors must provide 2 pieces of identification (at least one with a signature) to prove their identity, proof that they are entitled to register in relation to the property, and, if there is more than one owner, written consent from the majority of the property owners. A Non-resident Property Elector Consent Form is available at the Municipal Hall or on the municipal website and can be requested by email at elections@esquimalt.ca.  Original signatures are required. 

Nominations

Interested persons can now obtain information on the requirements and procedures for making nominations including nomination documents from the Esquimalt Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road, during regular office hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except statutory holidays until the close of the nomination period at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2025. Packages may also be requested by email to elections@esquimalt.ca.  

Nominations for the office of Councillor, one (1) to be elected will be received by the Chief Election Officer or their designate as follows:

When: Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. until Friday, February 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Where: Esquimalt Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road, Esquimalt, BC, V9A 3P1

How: Nomination documents may be delivered by hand, by mail, or other delivery service to the Chief Election Officer at the address noted above. They may also be submitted by fax to 250-414-7111 or by email to elections@esquimalt.ca  with originals to follow. The deadline for receiving nomination documents is Friday, February 28, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. with the deadline for receiving originals of faxed or emailed documents being Friday, March 7, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.

Qualifications for Office

A person is qualified to be nominated, elected, and to hold office as a member of local government if they meet the following criteria:

• 18 years of age or older on general voting day, April 5, 2025;
• Canadian citizen;
• Resident of British Columbia for at least 6 months immediately preceding the day nomination papers are filed (August 27, 2024, if filing papers on the last day of nomination February 28, 2025); and
• Not disqualified by the Local Government Act or any other enactment from voting in an election in British Columbia or being nominated for, being elected to or holding the office, or be otherwise disqualified by law.

Campaign Period Expense Limits

In accordance with the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, for the 2025 By-Election, the following expense limit for candidates during the campaign period applies:

Office of Councillor: $9,229.20

Third Party Advertising Limits

In accordance with the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, for the 2025 By-Election, the following third-party advertising expense limit applies:

Directed Advertising - Office of Councillor: $921.04

For further information on campaign period expense limits and third-party advertising limits, please contact Elections BC:  Toll-free phone: 1-800-661-8683, Email: electoral.finance@elections.bc.ca, Website: www.elections.bc.ca.

For further information on the nomination process, please contact: 

• Email: elections@esquimalt.ca 
• Deb Hopkins, Chief Election Officer, 250-414-7135  
• Sarah Holloway, Deputy Chief Election Officer, 250-414-7157 
• Victoria McKean, Deputy Chief Election Officer, 250-414-7119

Candidate Resources

Candidates Guide to Local Elections in B.C. - Province of B.C. (PDF)

Thinking About Running for Local Office? - Province of B.C. (PDF)

Running for Local Office - Province of B.C. (Webpage)

Voting by Mail:

Mail ballot voting is available to all qualified electors in the 2025 Township of Esquimalt By-Election. This is an expanded voting option for voters, both resident and non-resident property electors. 

Requesting a Mail Ballot Package:

Download Application

Before 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, if you wish to vote by mail, you must complete and submit an application to Vote by Mail to the Chief Election Officer at the Township of Esquimalt by:

• Emailing: elections@esquimalt.ca 
• Mailing/delivering: Attn: Chief Election Officer, 1229 Esquimalt Road, Esquimalt, BC, V9A 3P1
• Attending In Person: Administration Counter, Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road

You may also call 250-414-7177 to request to vote by mail. All mail ballot applicants must provide the following information:

• Full Name
• Residential Address
• Address of the property in relation to which you are voting (for non-resident property electors)
• Method of delivery of your mail ballot package:

1. Pick up at Municipal Hall and, if you wish, name of person authorized to pick up the package for you (they will be required to sign a declaration);
2. Regular letter mail through Canada Post to a residential address; or,
3. Regular letter mail through Canada Post to an alternate address that you provide when requesting the mail ballot package; and

• If you are not on the list of registered electors, you must indicate whether you are going to be registering as a resident or non-resident property elector (see elector qualifications tab on webpage).

Please note that to ensure adequate delivery time, mail ballot applications received after 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 will not be mailed out. After this time, mail ballot packages may be picked up from Esquimalt Municipal Hall, 1229 Esquimalt Road. The cut-off time to pick up and request mail ballot packages is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Mail ballots are estimated to be available on or after March 14, 2025. You will be contacted when your package is ready for pick up if that is your selected option. 

Returning Mail Ballots:

To be counted in the by-election, your completed ballot must be received by the Chief Election Officer no later than 8:00 p.m. on General Voting Day, Saturday, April 5, 2025. Voters are responsible for ensuring that the completed ballot is delivered to the appropriate person and received by the deadline.

You can mail the completed ballot package or drop it off as follows:

Attn: Chief Election Officer, 1229 Esquimalt Road, Esquimalt BC V9A 3P1

OR

Mail ballots may also be hand delivered to the official polling station prior to the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. at any of the scheduled voting opportunities as listed at the top of this webpage.