British Columbia · City of Campbell River

How to run for Council in Campbell River

A plain-English guide to the 2026 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for councillor candidates in Campbell River, British Columbia.

Election day: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Population (2021)
35,519
Council seats
6 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
At-large.

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for councillor in Campbell River, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Campbell River, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Campbell River (or the spouse of one).
  • Not legally disqualified from running.
Common disqualifications include sitting judges, sitting MPs / Senators / MPPs (must resign before filing), municipal employees (must take an unpaid leave or resign), and people serving a sentence in a penal institution.

Step 2

What does the councillor do?

Councillors in Campbell River vote on by-laws, the annual budget, and local services like parks, transit, and zoning. They are the most direct point of contact between residents and city hall.

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Councillor64 yrsAt-large, plurality block voting.

Step 3

The nomination process

Filing happens at the local Chief Election Officer, in person during regular office hours and on nomination day until 2:00 PM. You'll need to bring:

  • Nomination paper, signed in the presence of the clerk or a commissioner of oaths.
  • 2 / 10 / 25 nominators (varies by municipal bylaw) from eligible electors of Campbell River.Most cities over 5,000 residents require 25 nominators. Check your municipality’s nomination package for the exact number.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: Up to $100 (refundable on disclosure filing). Set by municipal bylaw; many smaller municipalities charge nothing.

Where to file

Office of the Chief Election Officer / Legislative Services, Campbell River City Hall, 301 St. Ann's Road, Campbell River BC V9W 4C7 (by appointment during the nomination window). The CEO is appointed by council resolution before the election.

Step 4

Key dates — 2026 cycle

DateEvent
Sep 1, 4:00 p.m.Nomination period opens
Sep 11, 11:00 p.m.Nomination period closes (last day to file)
October 17, 2026Election day
November 6, 2026New term of council begins
March 27, 2027Campaign financial statement due

Missing the financial-statement deadline can trigger automatic disqualification from running in the next cycle and forfeiture of your filing fee.

Step 5

Campaign finance

Campbell River runs under British Columbia's Local Government Act + Local Elections Campaign Financing Act. The headline numbers for the 2026 cycle:

Per-individual contribution
$1,429.70 per campaign (2026, indexed annually by Elections BC)
max from any one person to your campaign
Aggregate / additional rules
Same total can be split across candidates
across all candidates in the same municipality
Spending limit
Set by Elections BC; published by May 31 of the election year
the local Chief Election Officer issues your written limit after nominations close
Corporate and union donations are banned. Cash gifts of $25 or less generally don't need to be tracked individually; anything more must be by cheque, debit, credit, money order, or e-transfer that traces to the contributor.

Local

Specific to Campbell River

  • Campbell River is the largest member municipality of the Strathcona Regional District (which split from the Comox-Strathcona RD in 2008); SRD board uses weighted voting, so Campbell River's directors carry significant share.
  • Sign bylaws: candidate election signs are governed by the City's Sign Bylaw (placement, setbacks, removal timing); confirm with the CEO before sign distribution.
  • Strata door-knocking: governed by BC Strata Property Act; check with individual stratas for additional access rules.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Campbell River also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large, FPTP.
  • School Trustee — SD72 (Campbell River) — Filed separately on the same ballot. SD72 covers Campbell River, Sayward, Oyster River area, Quadra/Cortes/Read islands.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Campbell River?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the Campbell River ballot:

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Always confirm details with the local Chief Election Officer and the most recent provincial candidate guide before filing. Last reviewed 2026-05-01.

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