Information for Candidates

Are you thinking of running for Council?

Learn about the basics of running for office. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs has put together a comprehensive set of materials and videos to help.

• What Every Candidate Needs to Know (PDF, 428KB)
• Videos: Being an Effective Elected Official
• Role of Elected Officials

Check out Bowen Island Municipality’s Candidate Information Session held on July 22, 2026:

• Video
• Presentation slides

Candidate eligibility

To run for Council, a prospective candidate must be:

• at least 18 years of age or older on General Voting Day
• a Canadian citizen;
• have been a resident of B.C. for at least six months immediately before filing nomination documents; and
• not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in an election in B.C. or from being nominated for, being elected to, or holding the office or be otherwise disqualified by law.
• be nominated by two eligible electors of Bowen Island

Important dates for candidates

July 22, 2026 (6:00 pm): Candidate Information Session.

July 30, 2026 (6:30 pm): Financing and Advertising Rules. Elections BC held an information session for local candidates on financing and advertising. This session covered the rules in the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act. Watch the recording

August 4, 2026 (9:00 am): Nomination package available. This is when you can pick up your nomination forms and get help from the Chief Election Officer if you have any questions.

August 20, 2026 (6:00 pm): Islands Trust Candidate Information Session. Learn about the Islands Trust and the role of a local Trustee at a webinar. Register here

September 1, 2026 (9:00 am): Nomination period begins. This is when you can submit your nomination forms to the Chief Election Officer. Your forms will be posted on the Municipal website when they are received.

September 11, 2026 (4:00 pm): Nomination period ends; candidates declared. This is the deadline for submitting your nomination forms, and the Chief Election Officer will publicly declare that you are a candidate.

September 21, 2026: Declaration of election by voting. This is when the Chief Election Officer will officially declare that Bowen Island will hold an election, and who is running for office.

Campaign events at the Community Centre

No campaign events can be held in the Municipal Offices side of the Bowen Island Community Centre (including the Conference Room and Meeting Room).

Campaign events can be held in the Community side of the Centre (Flex Room, Theatre). Please contact the booking coordinator for more information.

For certainty, no campaigning is permitted at the Community Centre or within a 100m radius of the property line on Advance Voting Day (Wednesday, October 7) – the entire property is a voting place on this day.

What about campaign financing?

Contact Elections BC if you have questions about campaign financing, election advertising and third party sponsor rules.

• Elections BC