Contested races and acclaimed seats across the Regional District
Residents across the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will go to the polls on Oct. 17 to elect directors for several electoral areas, with three seats contested and four declared acclaimed. Advance voting dates have been set and voting locations span the Mid-Island, from Nanaimo to Gabriola and Qualicum Beach.
The electoral areas up for election are Area A (Cedar, South Wellington, Yellowpoint and Cassidy), Area B (Gabriola, DeCourcy and Mudge Islands), Area C (Extension, Nanaimo Lakes, East Wellington and Pleasant Valley), Area E (Nanoose Bay), Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington, Whiskey Creek and Meadowood), Area G (Englishman River, San Pareil, French Creek, Little Qualicum and Dashwood) and Area H (Bowser, Qualicum Bay and Deep Bay).
Advance and election-day voting details
Advance voting will be available on Oct. 7 and Oct. 14, both days from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting locations for the advance sessions and on Oct. 17 include community halls and centres in Nanaimo, Gabriola, Coombs, Nanoose Bay and Qualicum Beach.
- Oct. 7 advance voting locations: Cedar Community Hall (2388 Cedar Road, Nanaimo); Gabriola Island Community Hall (2200 South Road); Jonanco Hobby Workshop (2745 White Rapids Road, Nanaimo); Nanoose Place Community Centre (2925 Northwest Bay Road); Bradley Centre (975 Shearme Road, Coombs); Qualicum Beach Community Hall (644 Memorial Avenue); Lighthouse Community Centre (240 Lions Way, Qualicum Beach).
- Oct. 14 advance voting locations: South Wellington Community Centre (2195 South Wellington Road, Nanaimo) for Areas A and C; Gabriola Island Community Hall for Area B and the Gabriola Island Local Trust Area; Bradley Centre for Areas E, F, G and H.
- Oct. 17 election day voting hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with multiple locations in Area A (Cedar Community Hall and South Wellington Community Centre), Gabriola Community Hall for Area B and the Gabriola Island Local Trust Area, and other sites across the district.
Local representation on the RDN board matters for a wide range of services and planning decisions — from land-use bylaws and water and sewer services to parks, recreation and emergency planning — and directors elected from these electoral areas will take part in decisions that affect both rural and urban residents.
Turnout and past acclamations
Voter participation in the last RDN election in 2022 was recorded at 71.4 per cent. That ballot saw Areas B, E and H declared acclaimed because only one candidate came forward in each of those areas. This election again includes a mix of contested races and acclamations, a dynamic that will shape how well local communities feel their voices are represented on regional decisions.
| Electoral Area | Communities included | Key voting locations (Oct. 17) |
|---|---|---|
| Area A | Cedar, South Wellington, Yellowpoint, Cassidy | Cedar Community Hall; South Wellington Community Centre (Nanaimo) |
| Area B | Gabriola, DeCourcy, Mudge Islands | Gabriola Island Community Hall |
| Area C | Extension, Nanaimo Lakes, East Wellington, Pleasant Valley | Jonanco Hobby Workshop; South Wellington Community Centre (Nanaimo) |
| Areas E–H | Nanoose Bay; Coombs area; Englishman River and surrounding communities; Bowser and Qualicum Bay | Nanoose Place Community Centre; Bradley Centre (Coombs); Qualicum Beach halls |
For voters, knowing where and when to cast a ballot is only the first step. The outcome will determine who speaks for smaller communities at the regional table as the RDN confronts issues such as development pressures, infrastructure funding and environmental stewardship on the Mid-Island.
Local elections in the RDN carry outsize influence for areas outside municipal boundaries. Directors elected from the electoral areas will sit alongside city and town representatives to set regional policy and budgets that affect both urban Nanaimo and the more rural parts of the district.
Residents should check the RDN website or local notices for any candidate lists, final voting locations and any changes to advance-vote details as the election approaches.
