British Columbia · City of Surrey

How to run for Council in Surrey

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

Election day: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Population (2021)
568,322
Council seats
8 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
—

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Surrey, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Surrey (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 Surrey 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 Surrey.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

Surrey City Hall, 13450 104 Avenue, Surrey V3T 1V8, Legislative Services / City Clerk's office. Filing by appointment with the Chief Election Officer during the September 1–11, 2026 nomination window.

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

Surrey 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 Surrey

  • Surrey Police Service vs RCMP transition: the policing-transition saga (2018–2024) dominated the past two elections and reshaped Surrey's slate landscape. By 2026 SPS has assumed full jurisdiction; expect candidates to revisit budget and accountability angles rather than re-litigate the transition itself.
  • No wards despite the size; periodic wards proposals have not advanced. Geographic sub-areas (Cloverdale, Newton, South Surrey, Whalley/City Centre, Guildford, Fleetwood) are referred to in campaigns but have no electoral effect.
  • Sign bylaw: Surrey Election Sign Regulation Bylaw No. 17474 — no signs on public property; private property only during the campaign period (Sept 19 – Oct 17, 2026).
  • Mail ballots offered city-wide for any elector who applies.
  • School District 36 is the largest in BC by enrolment (~80,000 students). Trustee races are competitive.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Surrey also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large, FPTP
  • School Trustee (SD 36 Surrey) — At-large; serves Surrey + White Rock

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Surrey?

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