British Columbia · Municipality of Saanich

How to run for Council in Saanich

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

Election day: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Population (2021)
117,735
Council seats
8 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
—

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Saanich, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Saanich (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 Saanich 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
Councillor84 yrsAt-large, plurality block (each voter casts up to 8)

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 Saanich.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

Saanich Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue, Victoria V8X 2W7, Legislative Services Division, by appointment with the Chief Election Officer.

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

Saanich 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 Saanich

  • Saanich Amalgamation file — periodic public discussion of a Greater Victoria amalgamation (with Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay) has not produced a referendum in this term but is a recurring campaign topic.
  • Two school boards — first-time candidates and door-knockers commonly forget that Saanich's southern (urban) neighbourhoods vote SD 61 trustees while the Peninsula portion votes SD 63 trustees. Both will be on the same physical ballot but appear conditionally based on registered address.
  • Sign bylaw — Saanich Election Sign regulation; no signs on public boulevards.
  • Mail ballots offered to any elector on request.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Saanich also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large, FPTP — Mayor Dean Murdock has announced he is **not seeking re-election**
  • School Trustee (SD 61 or SD 63) — Split — see school board section above

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Saanich?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the Saanich 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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