Voters head to the polls today in municipal elections for most of Manitoba.
Starting at 8 a.m., eligible voters can cast ballots for the offices of mayor (or reeve, as the head of council is known in many rural municipalities), councillor and school trustee in most of the province’s 137 municipalities.
A general municipal election happens every four years and always on the third Wednesday in October. The only exceptions are in Winnipeg Beach, Dunnottar and Victoria Beach, where elections were held July 24.
Voting locations are open until 8 p.m., but don’t worry if you’re still waiting to vote at the deadline. As long as you’re in line, you’ll be able to mark your choices.
The City of Winnipeg says the busiest times are typically right when the locations open and then again from 3 p.m. until close.
If you have the option, consider voting during the quieter period between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the process may be a little quicker, the city says.
Winnipeg, Brandon set early vote record as advance polls close
Winnipeg voters must be Canadian citizens, at least 18 years old on Oct. 28 and Winnipeg residents or property owners for at least six months (since April 28), the city says.
Results for all of Manitoba will be updated on the 2026 Manitoba municipal elections website shortly after polls close at 8 p.m., as they are received from voting locations. CBC Manitoba will also have coverage of the election online and on radio and television.
More Manitobans are getting a choice of who leads their communities than in 2022.
There are fewer acclamations compared to four years ago, the Association of Manitoba Municipalities said. Uncontested races are down to 30 per cent from 37 per cent in 2022.
At the same time, the number of women candidates has increased to 340 this year from 289 in the previous election, the association said.
Incumbent mayors in several Manitoba communities, however, were acclaimed after no challengers registered to run. Those include Portage la Prairie, Winkler and Niverville.
More Manitobans get a choice of candidates in this year’s municipal election
Some places, like the Municipality of Cartwright-Roblin and the Rural Municipality of Argyle, saw their entire slate of council candidates acclaimed.
Rules about eligibility to vote in municipal and school board elections can by found on the provincial government website. This includes eligibility for non-resident voters in municipal elections.
For Winnipeggers, if you’re not sure which ward you live in, you can check out a series of ward maps on the City of Winnipeg website. There’s a set of school division ward boundary maps too.
Voters are required to provide proof of their name and current address by showing identification. A list of accepted ID is available on the city’s website.
Don’t know where to vote? The city’s website has an address look up tool to help you find voting locations in your area.
