More Central Okanagan residents voted this municipal election season

More Central Okanagan residents voted this municipal election season

Published 4:07 pm Monday, October 19, 2026

Voter turnout was high on election day in the Central Okanagan with many jurisdictions reporting an increase in the number of residents who casted their ballots.

The Central Okanagan’s three largest municipalities, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country, all reported more ballots were casted during the 2026 Local Elections compared to the 2022 Local Elections, according to preliminary results.

The City of Kelowna saw the largest increase in voters, with 38,970 casting their ballots this year, which is 4,119 more than in 2022. The 30.2 per cent voter turnout is slightly decreased from four years ago – 30.3 per cent in 2022.

Lake Country saw the largest percentage jump in election participation. The district saw 4,220 ballots casted on Saturday, a nearly 220 per cent increase from 2022 when 2,020 ballots were cast.

For those two municipalities, this year had the highest voter turnout in both jurisdictions’ recent history, according to Civic Info BC which has online archives of election results dating back to 2008.

In Lake Country, the 4,220 votes ballots cast is far and way the most in the district’s history, with the recent high being 2,791 in 2018. However, it was the third largest voter turnout by percentage as 29.96 per cent of the eligible voters participated. In 2011, Lake Country saw a 30 per cent voter turnout, and 33 per cent in 2005, per the District’s website.

In West Kelowna, 6,095 residents went to the polls to vote of an estimated 30,978 estimated eligible voters, 573 more than in 2022. While there was more voters, turnout was slightly less, at 19.67 per cent, compared to 19.96 in 2022. West Kelowna’s highest voter turnout was in 2014 – 31.84 per cent.

On the other hand, the District of Peachland saw a slight drop-off in it’s voter count, recording 2,185 ballots cast this year compared to 2022, when 2,398 ballots were casted. This year’s number did result in a 41.9 per cent voter turnout, while 2022 showed a 48 per cent voter turnout.

The election results will be finalized by 4 p.m. on Oct. 21.