British Columbia · City of Courtenay

How to run for Mayor in Courtenay

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

Election day: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Population (2021)
28,420
Head of council
1 Mayor
Term
4 years
Wards
At-large.

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for mayor in Courtenay, you must be:

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

The Mayor is the head of council in Courtenay — chairs council meetings, is the public face of the city, and votes alongside councillors on by-laws, the annual budget, and major staffing decisions.

Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD). The Mayor (currently Bob Wells) sits on the CVRD Board with additional councillor directors apportioned by population (Courtenay typically gets 3 directors).

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Mayor14 yrsAt-large, FPTP.

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 Courtenay.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, Courtenay City Hall, 830 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay BC V9N 2J7 (by appointment during the 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

Courtenay 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 Courtenay

  • Comox Valley region has historically active candidate slates around growth/density issues; track Elections BC slate registry.
  • Courtenay shares regional services (water, transit) with neighbouring Town of Comox and Village of Cumberland through the CVRD; cross-municipal coordination is common in candidate platforms.
  • The K'ómoks First Nation is a regional partner; reconciliation framework agreements are often referenced in council platforms.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Courtenay also choose:

  • Councillor — At-large, plurality block voting.
  • School Trustee — SD71 (Comox Valley) — SD71 covers Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, and surrounding CVRD areas.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Courtenay?

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