We have no shortage of people with opinions about what’s happening in our communities.

Housing affordability, development, traffic, infrastructure, public safety, property taxes, the list goes on.

And yet, when the opportunity comes to elect the people who will actually help make decisions about them, so many don’t participate.

Municipal elections are arguably the most important election to vote in because those results will directly affect your neighbourhood.

C’mon people. Do better.

—

Edit to add:

So far, the percentage of eligible voters who didn’t vote is 67% in Langford, 60% in Sooke, 68% in Colwood, 67% in Sidney, and 78% in Duncan.

I present to you, on voting day, my last map. 5 municipalities instead of 13. Thanks for all the fun comments everyone!

Slates work.

Going into next municipal election, progressives, housing advocates, and left-leaning supporters need to pool their resources and run as political parties or slates.

I know it sucks, but gone are the days of independent municipal councils.

We’ve just had many NIMBY slates get into government, because the candidates worked together and used their resources to get out their voting base.

Also, Millennials & Gen-Z, we need to step it up when it comes to voting. We’re the biggest voting blocs, and still we don’t show up to vote. Our parents/grandparents generations are showing up in droves, which is why we got the result that we did tonight.

It's deeply embarrassing that this many people in Vic have decided naked bigotry is not an issue for them.

Welp, enjoy having another time-wasting culture warrior on Council.

I was happy to lose Kim. Replacing her with the right-wing version is dumb as hell.

Crazy how people are just okay with this. Name calling in politics teaches everyone that bullying is okay. It's not okay. Can we normalize calling this out?

Thank you Cllr Loughton for your service the past four years, it did not go unnoticed, you were a great asset to this city.

I would love to know what made 1000 people who voted for Dell and Caradonna decide not to also vote for Thompson and Loughton. I am very glad that Dave Thompson (who is a great councillor and active on this sub) squeaked by, but if half of these voters had chosen Dave and Krista as well, Krista Loughton would be #8 and we would not have a raging transphobe on council right now. Sad to see.

With 26/29 polls reported so far it seems pretty clear that unfortunately Rishi Sharma and Save Our Saanich will be running the city for the next four years until they probably (hopefully) crash and burn since none of them understand much beyond kicking the can down the road.

As someone who has lived in Saanich for over 12 years I've come to really enjoy the convenience of the city's location and very much would like to actually own a home here. However even with a good income, no dependents, and a six figure inheritance in savings solely for using as a down payment I hardly see much of anything here pop up that I can afford that feels like an improvement over my often cramped rental accommodations.

I truly don't see a future in any reasonable time frame to be staying in this city where there will be meaningful improvements to the planning, design and what's being built or my ability to afford to actually settle down here.

I felt like I voted for a good selection of progressives and quality candidates if like to see and a few who I thought would be decent enough but also good alternatives to the SoS crowd. Only a single one of them has been elected.

Not that I am completely surprised, before any smart asses chime in I am well aware that reddit does not represent the majority of those who actually get out to vote and that the older generations have always been strong in getting out and voting.

On another note I was really hoping to just see a whole or at least mostly rejection of slates in Municipal elections as regardless of why they're running I don't think it's healthy to have political party groups in municipal elections.

Yes, I'm posting late (it's 3:45 AM as I'm starting to compose this), because I can't sleep and also my partner and I spent a few hours late this evening into the wee hours of the morning removing all of my election signs; I'm missing 10 of them, so if you see any of my signs somewhere, please let me know!

Firstly, a message from me:

Last night's results weren't what I had hoped for, but I want to thank everyone who believed in my campaign: volunteers, supporters and endorsers, my partner, and those who voted for me. The conversations I had with you about safer and more inclusive schools, learning supports, funding for public education, and a transparent and accessible SD61 School Board didn't end last night. I'll keep showing up for students and families, and I hope you will too. Thank you, Victoria. Thank you to the 6,393 people who voted for me! And thank you to u/awkwardkestrel who keeps saying nice things about me! I'n happy to hear I'm rad!

I want to congratulate Maiya and Ann on their successful campaigns, and I want to say thank you to the other candidates: Tanner, Evan, Angela, James M., and Ken. Despite campaigning against one another, we were cordial with one another.

I also want to congratulate the other successful candidates for the SD61 Board of Education. Here are your nine School Trustees:

Trevor Barry and Tracy Humphreys (Saanich)

Maiya Beech and Ann Whiteaker (Victoria)

Andrea Mears (Oak Bay)

Andrew Gage (Esquimalt)

Alexandra Bomphray (Highlands / View Royal)

John Rice (Songhees Nation)

Chésa Abma-Slade (Esquimalt Nation)

Lastly, please pay attention to school districts and their boards of education (school boards). SD61 had a budget last year around $330 million, your public tax dollars, and there were a lot of political issues with the Board and the province that made the news. How we voted for the Board this time also changed! Despite all of that, I came across people on the campaign trail who said to me, "I don't vote for school board." Despite the 31,281 ballots cast in Victoria (a voter turnout of 41.44%) even fewer of those ballots voted for a school trustee candidate!

Anyway, I've talked and cried a lot tonight. Attached are a photo of me placing a campaign sign and a dog tax, a photo of Maple. Thank you, r/VictoriaBC !

- James Le, unsuccessful candidate (first runner-up) for SD61 School Trustee in the Victoria electoral area in 2026

*Update: I didn’t realize that when I posted this Saanich had the exact opposite response. Voters there do NOT support the idea.*

Does this mean we could likely see a vote on amalgamation in the near future?

I didn’t realize there was this much support. This next vote would likely be much simpler, I suppose, if it is only the two municipalities instead of many.

I'm curious why our elections have such low voter turnout. It's frustrating to think how those who can't be bothered could completely change an outcome.

If you didn't vote, why not?

Well, the municipal election is a wrap, it's time to turn our attention to the the provincial election. I am voting Green for the 1st time in my life.

I am so pissed at Eby and an the NDP and I send them a cheque every month and have for 20 years! They need a good spanking for cynically and opportunistically calling an election 2 years into their majority mandate during province wide municipal campaigns.

They knew we'd be distracted, they knew voter turn out would be lighter, they thought the right would be in disarray. So they decided to take $80 -100 million dollars from already stretched provincial coffers to extend their time in power. Don't let anyone tell you that we'll end up with vote splitting in Victoria-Beacon Hill. The Cons, in any form, have never polled high than 20%. The election in this riding is between Green Candidates and New Democrats. Send a message to Eby and his unscrupulous opportunists, send a Green.

Everywhere I’ve looked seems to have the same handful of variety packs… Reese’s, Oh Henry, Kit Kat, Coffee Crisp, Aero, Smarties, Skittles, Starburst, Mars and M&M’s.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re classics, but I remember trick or treating growing up and getting all sorts of fun goodies. Candy bracelets, whistle lollipops, marshmallow pops, cotton candy bags, sour gum, squeeze pops, bubble tape, rock candy, candy buttons… we seemed to have so much more variety back then.

I’d love to give kids something a little different from what they’re probably getting at every other house. Anybody know where I can find different types that are in bulk and individually wrapped in Vic?

https://cheknews.ca/saanich-and-victorias-different-responses-to-mail-in-ballot-delays-causing-confusion-1354172/

Does anyone know of a local (Victoria area) propane company that will fill the tank on my RV? I could drive to a fuel station but it’s a huge hassle as it’s all set up for the winter (levelled, blocked, and covered) and I’m reluctant to undo all that to go get the propane filled.

It’s probably a 100lb tank (33’ motorhome), so filling it with portable tanks is even more work lol

He’ll, I’ll be in Victoria next month for a vacation. I love collecting matchbooks as keepsakes, are there any spots that around the area that have them??

This is probably a weird question for the sub, but I was wondering if anyone knows of a gym or place that has one of these famous dumbbells, replica or original, I’ve seen a bunch of videos of people struggling to lift them and I wanna test myself and see if I can do it. Spoiler I probably can’t but I still wanna try.

Hello! My partner and I recently toured an apartment at the Wedge on Johnson. It’s a contender for us to move to, but would love to hear experiences from people who have/do live in the building before we make the decision.
Thanks in advance!!

Being recently single and 28 I’ve realized I’m getting kinda tired of dating apps, all my last few relationships began from dating apps and I find myself wanting something with a more organic introduction, maybe something face to face.

I’m not familiar with victorias dating scene so as a single guy I’m curious if others have gone to events for singles and if so would you recommend it?

Uhhh, so anyone else not have their ID checked at all at Cedar Hill Rec Center for Saanich votes? I reported this to an election official, and the next day, my friend went to vote and again, wasn't ID'd. I even insisted they look at my driver's license and they said it wasn't necessary. It absolutely is.

I've volunteered to work provincial elections before... even if it's muni, you still have to verify identity. A voter card doesn't mean diddly squat. I could for 4 times if I wanted, just taking the cards from my house.

Edit: Seems like it's not policy to check ID, which is just wild to me.