BC election turnout was 48.06 per cent in preliminary results after British Columbians voted in the provincial election on Saturday, October 24, according to Elections BC.
The figure represents 1,796,615 votes considered from 3,738,182 registered voters.
Elections BC said 99.57 per cent of preliminary results had been reported as of Sunday, October 25, while some ballots remained subject to additional counting and verification.
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Bc Election Turnout: Turnout drops sharply from 2024
The preliminary participation rate is 10.39 percentage points below the 58.45 per cent turnout recorded in the 2024 provincial election.
It is also below the 53.86 per cent turnout reported in 2020 and the 61.18 per cent recorded in 2017.
Based on Elections BC’s published historical figures, the 2026 preliminary rate is the lowest recorded for a B.C. provincial general election since 1996, when turnout was 71.50 per cent.
The comparison remains preliminary.
The official turnout figure can change after Elections BC counts ballots that were not included in the initial election-night totals.
Why the preliminary number is not final
Elections BC says the initial count includes most ballots cast at district electoral offices, advance voting places, assigned voting places on Final Voting Day and certain special voting opportunities.
Ballots cast by mail, through assisted telephone voting and some absentee or special voting opportunities are counted later.
The agency also conducts integrity checks to confirm that eligible voters cast ballots and that ballots are counted only once.
The planned final count is scheduled for November 6 to 10, 2026.
Elections BC has described the election-night figures as preliminary and said the final count will include ballots that could not be included in the initial count.
Advance voting drew hundreds of thousands
Advance voting took place from October 16 to 21, ahead of the October 24 Final Voting Day.
Elections BC’s preliminary election results show the scale of the count already processed, but the agency has not yet published a final 2026 turnout table comparable with its completed historical election statistics.
That distinction matters because the current percentage is based on preliminary votes considered rather than a completed, certified total.
The final figure will provide a clearer comparison with the 2024 election and earlier provincial contests.
Election result remains preliminary too
The turnout update comes as Elections BC continues reporting the outcome across the province’s 93 electoral districts.
As of the latest preliminary update, the Conservative Party was leading in 64 districts, the BC NDP in 27 and the BC Green Party in two.
The Conservatives held 48.05 per cent of the preliminary popular vote, followed by the NDP at 37.38 per cent and the Greens at 10.97 per cent.
Those party totals, like the turnout number, are not final until Elections BC completes the remaining count and verification process.
What happens next
The next major election milestone is the final count beginning November 6.
Elections BC plans to complete the count by November 10, followed by Return Day on November 18.
The final turnout figure will show whether late-counted ballots materially change the preliminary participation rate.
It will also establish the official baseline for comparing voter engagement in the 2026 election with the 2024, 2020 and 2017 provincial votes.
For now, the preliminary results indicate that fewer than half of registered B.C. voters participated in the election’s initial count.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was voter turnout in the 2026 B.C. election?
Elections BC reported preliminary turnout of 48.06 per cent, based on 1,796,615 votes considered from 3,738,182 registered voters.
Is the 2026 B.C. election turnout figure final?
No. The 48.06 per cent figure is preliminary and may change after mail-in, absentee, telephone and other outstanding ballots are counted and verified.
When is the final count for the B.C. election?
The planned final count is scheduled for November 6 to 10, 2026.
How does 2026 turnout compare with the previous B.C. election?
Preliminary 2026 turnout is 10.39 percentage points lower than the 58.45 per cent turnout recorded in the 2024 provincial election.
How many electoral districts are in the 2026 B.C. election?
The election is being contested across 93 provincial electoral districts.
Fact-Checked: Key turnout figures, historical comparisons, election dates and counting procedures were checked against Elections BC’s official election results and voter-turnout information. ([results.elections.bc.ca](https://results.elections.bc.ca/Results_11684_GE-2026-10-24_Candidate.html))
Disclaimer: The 2026 turnout and party results cited in this article are preliminary until Elections BC completes the final count and issues official results.