Local Election Feedback

Project Update, December 21, 2022: We are pleased to share the survey results - please click here to see the full survey report. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and shared ideas for increasing voter turnout on the virtual brainstorming wall.

This engagement was open from November 3 through November 28, 2022. Participation included:

• 134 responses to the survey
• 13 ideas on the brainstorming wall, with a total of 27 contributions including replies, likes, etc.
• 297 unique visitors to the project page

One of the topics the survey covered was how participants usually receive local news and information. The top methods among respondents were: Record newspaper, social media, the City's website, and the Anchor e-newsletter.

Click here for more survey results.

Municipal elections are held every four years in British Columbia, with the most recent election taking place on October 15, 2022. In New Westminster, voters elected one Mayor, six Councillors, and seven School Board Trustees.

According to official results, 29.17% of eligible voters in New Westminster cast a ballot in the October 2022 election. This is comparable to local voter turnout in the previous municipal election in 2018 (28.97% in New West) and similar to the average voter turnout across B.C., which was 29% in the 2022 municipal election.

City staff have been working to improve the voting experience, increase voting options, and ensure New West residents know about the election – all in an effort to increase voter turnout and participation in the democratic process. Public feedback on the election process is important to support these efforts, and community input following the 2018 local election helped introduce new activities such as mail-in voting for the 2022 election. Click here to review the Council report and survey results following the 2018 election.

We are again seeking public feedback and suggestions on the election process to help inform the City's approach for the next municipal election in 2026.

How can I participate?

This engagement has now concluded. There were two ways to share your feedback on the 2022 election in New Westminster: a short survey, and an Ideas wall for sharing ideas for increasing voter turnout. Both feedback tools were open from November 3 to 28.

Moving forward, engagement results will be shared back with the community and a report will go to City Council with recommendations for the 2026 election.