On October 17, 2026, Nanaimo voters will decide who controls City Hall—and how our tax dollars are spent—for the next four years.
Will you help make that decision?
Or will you leave it to someone else?
Three Out of Four Eligible Voters Stayed Home
The numbers from Nanaimo’s 2022 municipal election should concern every taxpayer.
That means approximately 59,320 eligible Nanaimo voters did not cast a ballot.
More than three out of every four eligible voters stayed home.
How Much Support Did the Winners Receive?
Leonard Krog received 12,390 votes in the mayoral election. That represented 68.4 per cent of the valid votes cast for mayor—but only 15.89 per cent of Nanaimo’s estimated eligible voters.
Nanaimo councillors are elected at large, and each voter may select as many as eight council candidates. The clearest comparison, therefore, is the number of votes each successful candidate received as a percentage of all estimated eligible voters.
| Elected Candidate | Votes | Eligible-Voter Support |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Manly | 10,366 | 13.29% |
| Sheryl Armstrong | 10,260 | 13.16% |
| Ben Geselbracht | 8,383 | 10.75% |
| Ian Thorpe | 8,040 | 10.31% |
| Erin Hemmens | 7,497 | 9.61% |
| Janice Perrino | 7,131 | 9.14% |
| Tyler Brown | 6,805 | 8.73% |
| Hilary Eastmure | 5,650 | 7.25% |
Eligible-voter support was calculated by dividing each candidate’s votes by Nanaimo’s estimated 77,984 eligible voters. These are not the candidates’ shares of all council votes cast.
These figures do not question whether anyone was legitimately elected. Every successful candidate won according to the election rules.
They reveal something more troubling: a relatively small portion of Nanaimo’s eligible voters selected the people who made decisions for the entire city.
The final council seat was secured with support from only about one eligible voter in fourteen.
Staying Home Is Also a Decision
Some people say their vote will not make a difference.
The 2022 results show precisely the opposite.
When nearly 60,000 eligible voters stay home, the people who do vote gain enormous influence. Organized groups, committed political supporters and candidates with strong voting networks can help determine the outcome.
Meanwhile, the silent majority still receives the tax bills.
They still pay for City wages, policing, fire services, infrastructure, borrowing and every new program approved by council.
They simply surrender their voice in choosing the people making those decisions.
This Is Our Future
The mayor and council elected on October 17 will make decisions affecting:
- Property taxes and user fees
- City borrowing and debt
- Public safety
- Roads and infrastructure
- Housing and development
- Parks and recreation
- City staffing and wages
- The services taxpayers receive for their money
Those decisions will continue long after the campaign signs disappear.
You do not have to agree with your neighbour.
You do not have to support an incumbent.
You do not have to support a challenger.
But you should learn who is running, examine their records and proposals, and cast an informed ballot.
Get off the couch.
Do your part.
This is your city, your money and your future.
Sources: City of Nanaimo official 2022 election results and CivicInfo BC 2022 municipal voter-turnout data.
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