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Vancouver Council Approves Election Reforms After Byelection Report Highlights Long Wait Times

A city report confirms capacity issues led to multi-hour voting delays in April's byelection, prompting commitments to improve polling infrastructure for 2026.

There was an hour-long wait to vote in the Vancouver byelection at the West Point Grey Community Centre on April 5.
Vancouver City Hall is seen in Vancouver, on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Overview

  • The April 5 byelection saw record turnout with nearly 68,000 voters, exceeding projections by over 7,000 and causing significant delays at polling stations.
  • A city report revealed that polling places were halved and election staff reduced by over 60% compared to 2017, leading to wait times of up to three hours.
  • Vancouver's election office rejected allegations of voter suppression made by TEAM for a Livable Vancouver, which claimed long lines deterred over 33,000 voters.
  • Council unanimously approved measures to expand polling locations, increase staffing, and improve accessibility for the 2026 general election.
  • The byelection filled two council vacancies, with progressive candidates Sean Orr (COPE) and Lucy Maloney (OneCity) securing the seats.