100 candidates declared for Surrey's October 17 municipal election, up from 84 in 2022

Surrey's October 17 municipal election has drawn 100 candidates for mayor, city council, and school trustees—more than the 2022 race and an even larger jump from 2018, according to Gib van Ert, the city's chief election officer.

The surge reflects what van Ert called "a lot of voter activity, a lot of public issues, a lot of debate." The biggest increase came in city councillor races: 67 candidates are running for the eight council seats. Van Ert characterizes Surrey as "a pretty thriving democracy."

To accommodate anticipated voter turnout, the city expanded advance voting locations from 6 in 2022 to 10 in 2026. Advance voting dates remain the same: four days on October 7, 10, 14, and 15. In 2022, over 30 per cent of Surrey's roughly 123,000 total electors voted in advance—about 35,000 people—with the remainder voting on election day. Van Ert anticipates the additional locations will push advance-voting numbers higher this year.

The city allows election signs on private property but not on public land including parks and community centres. Elections BC handles content rules for signs, while Surrey enforces placement rules near polling stations.