Here’s how voter turnout compared across Greater Victoria for local elections

Voters across Greater Victoria headed to the polls on Saturday, October 17th, to elect their mayors, councillors and other local representatives, but turnout varied considerably depending on the municipality.

According to voter participation figures published by CivicInfo BC, Metchosin recorded the highest turnout in the region, with 51.96% of estimated eligible voters casting a ballot.

That made Metchosin the only municipality in Greater Victoria where more than half of eligible voters participated in the 2026 local elections.

Central Saanich followed closely behind with 49.59%, while Oak Bay rounded out the top three at 48.60%.

Highlands also saw relatively strong participation, with 46.17% of eligible voters heading to the polls.

Meanwhile, some of the region’s larger municipalities recorded considerably lower turnout.

In Saanich, 42.74% of eligible voters participated, while the City of Victoria recorded 42.43%.

North Saanich came in at 40.42%, followed by Sooke at 39.66%.

At the lower end of the rankings, View Royal recorded 33.47%, Langford saw 32.91%, and Esquimalt came in at 32.87%.

Sidney recorded turnout of 32.43%, while Colwood had the lowest participation in Greater Victoria at 31.81%.

The difference between the highest and lowest turnout was more than 20 percentage points, highlighting the variation in voter engagement across the region.

The following figures are based on the number of ballots cast compared with CivicInfo BC’s estimated eligible voter population for each municipality:

• Metchosin – 51.96%
• Central Saanich – 49.59%
• Oak Bay – 48.60%
• Highlands – 46.17%
• Saanich – 42.74%
• Victoria – 42.43%
• North Saanich – 40.42%
• Sooke – 39.66%
• View Royal – 33.47%
• Langford – 32.91%
• Esquimalt – 32.87%
• Sidney – 32.43%
• Colwood – 31.81%

Of Greater Victoria’s 13 municipalities, only one recorded turnout above 50%, while seven reached at least 40%.

Five municipalities saw fewer than 35% of estimated eligible voters participate.

The numbers also show that smaller municipalities were among the region’s strongest performers, with Metchosin, Central Saanich, Oak Bay and Highlands occupying the top four positions.

However, population size alone does not explain the differences in turnout. Factors such as competitive local races, community issues and voter interest may also influence participation.

It’s worth noting that CivicInfo’s estimated eligible voter figures can differ from the number of registered voters in each municipality, meaning turnout percentages may vary depending on which measure is used.

Full election results for municipalities across Greater Victoria and the rest of Vancouver Island are available here.