Official results · October 21, 2026
Oak Bay election results 2026

Quick answer
Kevin Murdoch was re-elected mayor of Oak Bay. The official council winners, by votes, are Hazel Braithwaite, Will Moore, Cairine Green, Roxanne Helme, Esther Paterson and David Gleeson.
Official results declared October 21, 2026, by the District of Oak Bay's chief election officer. Sources: District of Oak Bay declaration / CivicInfo BC.
By Oak Bay Local · · Updated
All times are Oak Bay local time, Pacific time.
Official · Nonpartisan · District of Oak Bay / CivicInfo BCMayor and council winners
The District of Oak Bay's results table lists 7,066 ballots from an estimated 14,539 eligible voters, about 48.6% turnout. The ballot count matches the official declaration and CivicInfo. The declaration itself does not state turnout. Source: District of Oak Bay.
Mayor

| Candidate | Result | Votes | Share of ballots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Murdoch | Elected | 5,231 | 74%74 percent of ballots counted |
| Sam Holland | Did not win a seat | 1,725 | 24.4%24.4 percent of ballots counted |
Council
| Candidate | Result | Votes | Share of ballots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazel Braithwaite | Elected | 5,095 | 72.1%72.1 percent of ballots counted |
| Will Moore | Elected | 4,715 | 66.7%66.7 percent of ballots counted |
| Cairine Green | Elected | 4,357 | 61.7%61.7 percent of ballots counted |
| Roxanne Helme | Elected | 4,101 | 58%58 percent of ballots counted |
| Esther Paterson | Elected | 3,928 | 55.6%55.6 percent of ballots counted |
| David Gleeson | Elected | 3,399 | 48.1%48.1 percent of ballots counted |
| Karin Sweeney | Did not win a seat | 2,933 | 41.5%41.5 percent of ballots counted |
| Sarah Starkweather | Did not win a seat | 2,307 | 32.6%32.6 percent of ballots counted |
| Katerina Weller | Did not win a seat | 1,940 | 27.5%27.5 percent of ballots counted |
School District # 61 Trustee
Official result. Andrea Mears is declared elected. Sources: District of Oak Bay declaration and the SD61 declaration.
| Candidate | Result | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Andrea Mears | Elected | 2,312 |
| James Chaney | Did not win a seat | 1,499 |
| Piers MacDonald | Did not win a seat | 1,450 |
District of Oak Bay declaration · SD61 declaration
Official results declared October 21, 2026, by the District of Oak Bay's chief election officer. Sources: District of Oak Bay declaration / CivicInfo BC.
This page covers Oak Bay's October 17 municipal election, not the October 24 provincial election.
Questions readers are asking
Who is the mayor of Oak Bay now?
Kevin Murdoch was re-elected mayor of Oak Bay with 5,231 votes (74%). These figures are official as of October 21, 2026.
Who won Oak Bay council 2026?
The six official council winners, by votes, are Hazel Braithwaite (5,095), Will Moore (4,715), Cairine Green (4,357), Roxanne Helme (4,101), Esther Paterson (3,928) and David Gleeson (3,399).
When are Oak Bay election results official?
Official results were declared October 21, 2026, by the District of Oak Bay's chief election officer. The council is sworn in at the inaugural meeting on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, per the declaration.
Who won the Oak Bay school trustee seat in 2026?
Andrea Mears was declared elected Oak Bay school trustee with 2,312 votes. James Chaney received 1,499 and Piers MacDonald received 1,450. Source: the District of Oak Bay declaration and the SD61 declaration, both dated October 21, 2026.
Who ran, and how voting worked
The nonpartisan guide below is the candidate list, dates and how-to-vote detail published before election day. It stays on this page.
Jump to a section
01 · Your voting plan
The dates worth putting in your calendar
Local voting took place on October 7, 14 and 17. The voting dates below are historical.
Advance voting · Past date
· 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Monterey Recreation Centre
Advance voting · Past date
· 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Monterey Recreation Centre
General voting · Past date
· 8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Monterey or Henderson Recreation Centre
One easily missed detail: Henderson is a general-voting-day location. Both advance-voting days are at Monterey.
02 · The local ballot
Who is running
The District’s official notice lists two candidates for mayor, nine for council and three for the Oak Bay school-trustee seat. Names are alphabetical by surname within each office. The order is for finding people, not ranking them. Candidate websites contain the candidates’ own material; linking to them does not independently verify their claims. A missing link means we have not verified a current one.
14 of 14 candidates shown · alphabetical by surname in each office
Mayor
One seat
- Sam Holland
- Kevin Murdoch
Councillors
Six seats
- Hazel Braithwaite
- David Gleeson
- Cairine Green
- Roxanne Helme
- Will Moore
- Esther PatersonWebsite not yet verified · Directory
- Sarah Starkweather
- Karin Sweeney
- Katerina Weller
School trustee
One seat · SD61, Oak Bay Electoral Area 7
- James Chaney
- Piers MacDonald
- Andrea Mears
Official candidate declaration and election notice
A change for the school-trustee ballot
If you remember choosing from a district-wide list, this election will look different. SD61 has moved to seven trustee electoral areas. The board still has nine seats overall; Oak Bay elects one trustee.
03 · Marking it
How the ballot works
For mayor and council, mark up to one mayor and up to six different councillors. You do not rank candidates, and you do not have to use every available council vote. Follow the instructions on the ballot, and ask an election official if anything is unclear. Marking more candidates than the seats available invalidates that contest’s ballot.
Want to try it before the real thing? Here is a practice ballot with the real names, in the official order.
Practice ballot
Not a poll. Nothing you mark leaves this page.
Tap a name to mark it. Tap again to change your mind.
04 · Before you go
Can I vote?
To vote as an Oak Bay resident elector, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 on October 17.
- Have lived in B.C. for at least six months immediately before registering.
- Live in Oak Bay when you register.
- Not be disqualified by law.
You do not have to own your home to qualify as a resident elector.
Eligibility and registration requirements
Not registered? You can register when you vote.
Bring two pieces of identification showing identity and residency, including at least one with a signature. Photo ID is not required. The District says voters already on the voters list do not have to provide proof of identification.
District election FAQs, including ID
Own property here but live elsewhere?
Separate non-resident-property rules apply. Check your circumstances with election staff rather than assuming property ownership gives you every ballot. The District says non-residents cannot vote for the Oak Bay SD61 trustee.
05 · The envelope route
Voting by mail without a last-minute scramble
Mail-ballot applications closed on October 6 at 4:30 p.m. Packages could be collected at Municipal Hall or mailed to you. If collecting your own package, wait for the ready notification and bring one piece of photo ID. This pickup requirement is separate from registration ID at the polls.
For this election, completed packages had to be returned by mail or deliver it to Municipal Hall, 2167 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, BC V8R 1G2. The District also accepted completed packages at voting locations during voting hours.
The deadline was received by 8 p.m. on October 17, regardless of how the package travels. The District’s instructions include an after-hours mail slot at the Oak Bay Avenue entrance to Municipal Hall. Read the current return instructions before making the trip.
Official mail-ballot instructions
During voting, if you had requested a package but had not received or returned it, you could still vote in person. Local voting is now closed.
06 · Help is available
Need help at the voting place?
The District says all voting locations are wheelchair accessible. Election officials can help with marking a ballot; someone accompanying you may also assist under the required declaration.
Curbside voting is available at all voting opportunities. Park in a designated curbside voting stall, then call the posted number or ask someone accompanying you to notify staff inside.
For an accommodation or an unusual registration situation, ask election staff ahead of your visit.
Oak Bay election staff
elections@oakbay.ca
250-598-3311
Accessibility enquiries: 250-370-7208, non-statutory weekdays, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
07 · Hear them first
Meet the candidates before voting
These are community-hosted events. Check the organiser’s page before heading out; a scheduled forum does not guarantee every candidate will attend.
Municipal candidates fair
Tuesday, October 6, 7–9 p.m.
Oak Bay United Church Community Hall, 1355 Mitchell Street. The venue specifies the level-ground Granite Street entrance.
Oak Bay–Gordon Head MLA forum
Thursday, October 8, 7 p.m.
Oak Bay High theatre, 2121 Cadboro Bay Road. This one is for the October 24 provincial election, not the local ballot.
Oak Bay school-trustee forum
Tuesday, October 13, 7 p.m.
Dave Dunnet Community Theatre at Oak Bay High, 2121 Cadboro Bay Road.
08 · The roles
What the jobs involve
Mayor and council
B.C. municipal councils make decisions collectively about local services and municipal affairs. The mayor has additional leadership responsibilities, but each council member, including the mayor, has one vote.
B.C.’s explanation of mayor and councillor roles
School trustee
Trustees work as a board on school-district policy, budgets and strategic direction. An individual trustee cannot make the board’s decisions alone. Their responsibility extends to students throughout the district.
BC School Trustees Association’s role guide, hosted by SD61 (PDF)
A useful question for any promise: who else needs to agree? Council colleagues, another government, a school board or a funding partner may be part of the answer.
09 · Your homework
A little homework beyond the lawn signs
A campaign promise becomes easier to assess when you can see its cost, authority and timetable. Here are some starting points. These are background reading and questions, not a scorecard.
Taxes and the budget
The District’s 2026 budget page reports an 8.42% municipal tax increase. That figure describes the municipal budget; it is not a prediction of the change on every household’s bill.
2026 budget and financial plan
Questions worth asking: Which service or project would change? Is the proposed spending one-time or ongoing? What pays for it, and what would be delayed or reduced instead?
Housing and planning
Oak Bay’s housing work includes local planning choices and provincial requirements. Its infill program was introduced through bylaw amendments in June 2024 in response to small-scale multi-unit housing legislation.
District infill-housing program
Questions worth asking: Which rule would the candidate change? Can council make that change itself? How would the proposal affect approvals, infrastructure and the homes that actually get built? Keep a proposed home, an approved home and a completed home in separate columns.
The infrastructure underneath everyday life
Water pipes are unlikely to win a lawn-sign design contest. They do, however, need a plan.
The District’s asset-management work covers long-term replacement and funding for infrastructure. Its current resource page includes a 2026 capital-planning framework, as well as the earlier sustainable replacement plan.
Asset-management plans and reports
Questions worth asking: Which assets come first, and why? What evidence sets that order? How will replacement be funded, and what is the cost or risk of waiting?
Checking a claim
Start with the document behind it. A motion, a staff recommendation, a council decision and a completed project are different things. When checking a past decision, read the surrounding item and its date rather than relying on a clipped quote.
10 · A separate election
And the provincial election
The October 24 provincial election elects MLAs to the B.C. Legislature. Its advance-voting dates are October 16–21. Provincial registration, mail-ballot rules and voting locations are separate from the municipal arrangements above.
Don’t assume your municipal voting place is also your provincial voting place.
The Community Association of Oak Bay hosts an Oak Bay–Gordon Head MLA all-candidates forum on Thursday, October 8 at 7 p.m. in the Oak Bay High theatre.
11 · The count
Results
Official mayor, council and school-trustee results are in the table at the top of this page. The District remains the official source for the local count. Official results were declared October 21, 2026.
Declaration of Official Election Results [PDF]
12 · How this guide is made
Sources, method & corrections
This is a nonpartisan voter-service page. The mayor, council and school-trustee counts at the top were checked October 21, 2026, against the District of Oak Bay official declaration and CivicInfo BC. Turnout (7,066 ballots from an estimated 14,539 eligible voters) comes from the District results table. The official declaration does not state a turnout percent. The ballot count matches the declaration and CivicInfo.
If a declared count differs from a figure published here, we will add a dated correction that names the earlier number. We will not silently rewrite an unofficial figure after the official declaration.
The candidate list, dates and how-to-vote sections below were last checked October 5, 2026. Those sections stay on this page as the record of who ran and how voting worked. Election procedures come from the District of Oak Bay and Elections BC. The school-trustee structure comes from SD61. This page does not rank candidates or recommend a vote.
Spotted an error? Email a correction to Oak Bay Local with the detail and its source. Substantive corrections will be noted here.
Correction log: October 21, 2026: Official results declared. No vote counts changed from the unofficial figures published October 18 and 19.
