2026 School Trustee Elections - October 17, 2026

BCSTA Elections 2026 Guide

In BC, general local elections for mayor, councilors, regional district electoral area directors, regional district electoral area commissioners, and school board trustees are held every four years on the third Saturday of October.  

The next general local elections will be held on October 17, 2026. 

General local elections are a shared responsibility between local governments and Elections BC. General local elections are run in accordance with the Local Government Act, the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, the Community Charter, the School Act, and election related bylaws. 

For information on all aspects of voting or running for office in local government elections, please visit the Board of Education section on our website and/or visit the following external websites: 

• BC School Trustees Association 
• Elections BC
• CivicInfo BC
• Local Government – Governance & Powers – General Local Elections 
• Ministry of Education and Child Care – School Trustee Election Procedures 

The nomination and election of local school trustees allows the community an important opportunity to lead and oversee our valuable investment in public education. Trustees are community leaders who come together in the context of a governance board in support of student success. The work is demanding, but important and rewarding.

Elections BC will manage the financial requirements and reporting for all election candidates as per the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act. For more info call 1-855-952-0280. For clear step-by-step information about campaign financing, expense limits, and third-party sponsors, see the following selection of Elections BC’s guides:

• Guide to Local Elections Campaign Financing in B.C. for Candidates and their Financial Agents
• Guide to Local Elections Campaign Financing in B.C. for Elector Organizations and their Financial Agents
• Handbook for Local Candidates

Trustee Electoral Areas

The Board of Education of School District No. 53 Okanagan Similkameen is comprised of seven trustees elected in the following trustee electoral areas:

Voting

Residents, as well as persons that own property within the jurisdiction of the local government but do not reside there, may be eligible to vote provided eligibility requirements of the Local Government Act are met.

Running for School Trustee

To be eligible as a candidate for school trustee in a local government election, at the time of nomination, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

1. Be a Canadian citizen.
2. Be, or will be, 18 years of age or older on or before voting day (October 17, 2026).
3. Have lived in BC for at least six months immediately before the day nomination papers are filed.
4. Have not been disqualified by any law or statute from being nominated, elected or holding office.

The following documents contain information about the role of trustees and the election process. Please check our website regularly for additional information as it becomes available.

• Candidate Nomination Package
• The Role of Boards of Education and Trustees in BC
• Handbook for Local Candidates
• Being an effective elected official
• Thinking About Running for Local Office
• Electoral Organizations

A virtual trustee information session will be held on June 16, 2026 at 6:00 pm via Teams.  

Please RSVP to exec@sd53.bc.ca to receive a link to the meeting.

For more information about the Okanagan Similkameen school district, please visit the following links:

• Our Strategic Plan, FESL Report and School Plans - Okanagan Similkameen SD53
• Board Policies - Okanagan Similkameen SD53
• Financial Information - Okanagan Similkameen SD53
• Long Range Facilities Plan 2021-2030 - Okanagan Similkameen SD53

Nomination Package

Those interested in running as a School Trustee candidate in the 2026 General Local Election can download a School Trustee Nomination Package. If you wish to pick up a nomination package, you can do so starting Monday, August 24, 2026, at 8:00 am, at the School Board Office, 661 Okanagan Street, Oliver BC.

The period to file nomination documents is from 9:00 am on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 until 4:00 pm on Friday, September 11, 2026.

Nomination papers must be filed with the Chief Election Officer, Miranda Burdock. Papers may be delivered by hand, mail, fax or email to:

School Board Office

Box 1770, 6161 Okanagan Street

Oliver, BC V0H 1T0

Fax: 250-498-4070

Please call 250-498-3481 or email exec@sd53.bc.ca to book an appointment.

Should you have any questions, please contact Karen Matthews, Deputy Chief Election Officer,
via phone 250-729-5939 or e-mail: kmatthews@sd68.bc.ca