Elections

The District of Sooke's 2026 General Local Election was held on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Official election results have now been declared following completion of the post-election ballot reconciliation and review process, including a recount.

The recount confirmed the outcome of the preliminary results, with no change to the candidates elected as Mayor and Councillors.

Elected Mayor

• Kevin Pearson

Elected Councillors

• Herb Haldane
• Rob Pearce
• Katherine Strongwind
• Janet Evans
• Curtis Peterec
• Elliot Lifton

View the 2026 Official Election Results:

• Declaration of Mayoral Candidate (PDF)
• Declaration of Councillor Candidates (PDF)

Voter Participation

A total of 5,498 electors cast ballots in the 2026 General Local Election, representing approximately 40% of estimated eligible voters.

By comparison, 3,358 ballots were cast in the 2022 General Local Election, representing approximately 26% of estimated eligible voters.

The District's official 2026 total includes mail ballots. Election participation figures displayed through CivicInfo BC may differ because they do not include mail ballots.

Complete 2026 Candidate Vote Totals

Mayor

Councillors

The six candidates receiving the highest number of valid votes were declared elected as Councillors.

These totals reflect the official results following the recount.

Read more about the official results and recount process.

The newly elected Mayor and Councillors will formally begin their four-year term at the Inaugural Council Meeting on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.

The meeting will include the swearing-in and oaths of office, along with the ceremonial presentation of the Chain of Office from outgoing Mayor Maja Tait to Mayor-elect Kevin Pearson.

Following the meeting, community members are invited to an informal meet and greet, anticipated from approximately 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., subject to the length of the meeting.

Residents are welcome to attend the Inaugural Council Meeting, meet their elected representatives and enjoy light refreshments.

Learn more about the Inaugural Council Meeting and Community Meet and Greet.

As part of the 2026 General Local Election, voters were also asked a non-binding opinion question about the proposed Sooke Gathering Place intergenerational centre.

The question asked whether the District should consider borrowing up to a maximum of $5 million to support construction and initial operational start-up of the proposed facility at 6671 Wadams Way.

Official Results

• YES: 2,687 votes

• NO: 1,813 votes

The plebiscite was an opportunity for voters to provide direction for Council's future consideration of the proposal.

The result is non-binding. It does not authorize borrowing, approve construction, establish a project budget or commit District-owned land to the project.

Any future decisions about borrowing, project development or municipal financial contributions would require further consideration and approval by Council, including any applicable statutory requirements.

Learn more about the 2026 Sooke Gathering Place Plebiscite.

The three School District 62 (Sooke) trustee positions for the Milnes Landing Zone were filled by acclamation during the 2026 election.

The acclaimed trustees are Ed Berlando, Amanda Dowhy and Laurie Szadkowski.

As the number of candidates equalled the number of available positions, no vote was required for these trustee positions.

View School District 62's 2026 Election Results.

View the statement of persons nominated at this link.

The District has received the following nominations, in alphabetical order:

Curbside voting will be available for voters who are unable to enter the voting place. If you require curbside voting, please notify an election official when you arrive or have someone accompany you to the entrance to request assistance.

For preliminary results, see: https://www.sooke.ca/news-and-public-notices/posts/district-of-sooke-preliminary-results-for-2026-general-local-election/

The following documents were published as part of the 2026 General Local Election and remain available for reference:

• 2026 Declaration of Candidates (PDF)
• 2026 Notice of Election by Voting (PDF)
• 2026 Notice of Advance Voter Registration, Voters List Inspection and Nominations (PDF)
• Ministerial Order M334 — Advance Voter Registration Notice (PDF)

Interested in Sooke's electoral history?

The District maintains an archive of municipal election results dating back to its incorporation in 1999.

The archive includes general local elections, municipal by-elections and historical ballot questions, providing a record of the people elected to represent Sooke over the years.

Explore the Election Results Archive — 1999 to Present.

• Elections BC – 2026 General Local Elections
  Find key dates, voting options, and information on voter eligibility for the upcoming election.

• Local Elections FAQs
  Answers to common questions about registration, identification, voting by mail, and more.

Campaign Material & Signage

Campaign signs are permitted in the District of Sooke provided they are removed within three days following an election. See the District's Sign Regulation Bylaw for more information or download a combined PDF with the District of Sooke's Code of Conduct, Election Procedures Bylaw, and Signs Bylaw (including Traffic Bylaw for Signs on District Roadways) here.

On voting days, during voting hours, the following is not permitted within 100 metres of a voting place:

• Canvassing, soliciting or otherwise attempting to influence how someone votes.
• Displaying, distributing, posting or leaving campaign material.
• Carrying, wearing, or displaying a flag, badge, sign, or other item indicating support for a candidate or elector organization.

See Local Government Act (s.163) for more information.

Voting Place Maps (100m Radius)

• Edward Milne Community School
• District of Sooke Municipal Hall
• Ayre Manor (Special Voting Opportunity for Ayre Manor residents only)

Please remember that other organizations may have their own rules that you need to follow. For example, the District of Sooke does not place additional restrictions on poles owned by BC Hydro, but BC Hydro do. The District does not enforce rules made by external organizations, but if you are using somebody else's land, objects, or resources, their rules may apply to you, and you should investigate that before you take actions.

Additional Resources

• Local Government Elections – Province of BC
  Learn about nomination rules, candidate eligibility, and the role of local governments in elections.

• Elections BC – Campaign Financing and Advertising
  Understand campaign financing requirements and third-party advertising rules under the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act.

• Local Guides
  Information from Elections BC including the Candidate's Handbook, and various Guides for Local Elections Campaign Financing in BC

Notice regarding Advance Voter registration, Voter roll inspection, and seeking candidates

For information: Voters at the District of Sooke can either register at the time of voting, or can register in advance. Voter registration in advance can no longer be done, and any eligible voter who is not already registered must register at the time of voting.

The District was required to post notice about the closure of advance voting. Unfortunately, due to a technical error at the Sooke News Mirror, the notice provided was not published. Notice was published in the Victoria Times Colonist, on our website, and at District Hall, along with a subsequent edition of the News Mirror, and the BC Government issued a Ministerial Order (2026-334) exempting the District from the requirement to post advance notice of the close of the register.

Notice regarding Election by Voting

The District of Sooke is responsible for administering the local election process in accordance with provincial legislation. This includes appointing a Chief Election Officer, managing voting opportunities, receiving nomination papers, and declaring official results.

The District does not regulate or monitor candidate campaigns, advertisements, or election spending. These matters fall under the jurisdiction of Elections BC.

Candidate nomination packages will be available from the District of Sooke during the official nomination period (usually in late summer before an election).

The package includes eligibility information, required forms, and submission instructions.

Completed nomination documents must be submitted to the Chief Election Officer within the official nomination window.

Nomination packages are generally available a month before an election. Nomination packages cannot be accepted by the District until the official nomination period.

Campaign financing is regulated by Elections BC. If you are opening a campaign bank account and they are requesting nomination papers, please see the Elections BC bank account reference sheet, and their letter to financial institutions.

Section 86 of the Local Government Act sets the default as two qualified nominators. "Qualified nominator" means someone who is an elector of the District of Sooke. The District of Sooke has not varied the requirement from the Act, therefore only two qualified nominees are required.

An individual nominator may nominate as many candidates as they are persons to be elected. This means that a single qualified nominator may nominate one candidate for Mayor, and up to six candidates for Council.

During the official nomination period, the District of Sooke will post a list of all candidates who have submitted nomination papers and been declared for office.

• Candidate names, declared positions, and contact information (if provided by the candidate) will be published on this page and in local notices.
• The District cannot endorse or promote individual candidates and will not link to campaign websites or social media accounts.

Residents are encouraged to attend community-hosted all-candidates meetings or review information shared directly by the candidates.

All-candidates meetings are not organized by the District. They are typically hosted by community groups such as the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce, Sooke Multi-Belief Initiative, or other local organizations.

Event details will be shared publicly by the hosting groups through their own communication channels (for example, their websites, social media, or local news).

All voting opportunities - including advance voting days, mail-ballot options, and general voting day locations - will be published on the District’s website and in local advertising once they are confirmed by the Chief Election Officer.

Yes. Non-resident property electors may be eligible to vote if they meet the criteria outlined in the Local Government Act.

Only one registered owner of the property may vote, and consent from the majority of other owners is required.

Voters who need to register are asked to bring two pieces of identification that prove both identity and residency.

At least one piece must include a signature. Examples include a BC Driver’s Licence, BCID, utility bill, or property tax notice.

Voters who are already registered do not require photo ID to vote in a municipal election.

Preliminary results are announced after polls close on general or final voting day and posted to the District’s website.

Official results will be declared by the Chief Election Officer after all ballots are verified - typically within a few days.

Chief Election Officer
District of Sooke
2205 Otter Point Road, Sooke, BC V9Z 1J2
Email: elections@sooke.ca
Phone: 250-642-1634