Voter turnout down in Vancouver, up in Surrey compared to 2018

A municipal election that brought sweeping change to B.C.'s largest city saw lower turnout than the 2018 contest.

With 100 per cent of precincts reporting, a total of 171,494 votes were cast in Vancouver in 2022, according to unofficial results on the city's website. In 2018, there were 176,450 valid ballots.

While the results of this year's election have not yet been certified, the available numbers suggest that roughly 36.3 per cent of Vancouver's approximately 472,663 registered voters cast ballots this year.

In 2018, turnout was 39.4 per cent.

The numbers in Surrey tell a slightly different story: 118,908 votes were cast there this year, an increase from the 110,920 cast in 2018.

This year's turnout in Surrey was approximately 34.5 per cent, up from 32.9 per cent in 2018.

In both cities, voters ousted incumbent mayors and elected council majorities to support the new mayor-elect's party.

In Vancouver, Ken Sim's ABC party won a decisive victory. The mayoral candidate took 51 per cent of the vote in his race, defeating runner-up Kennedy Stewart by more than 36,000 votes. 

ABC's seven council candidates were all elected, each one earning at least 20,000 more votes than any of the other three people elected to the 10-person body.

Brenda Locke's victory over Doug McCallum in Surrey was more modest, in comparison. 

The Surrey Connect candidate took 28.1 per cent of the vote, compared to McCallum's 27.3 per cent. With 100 per cent of precincts reporting, Locke's lead was less than 1,000 votes.

Four Surrey Connect candidates were elected to the eight-member council, meaning Locke's vote will give the party a 5-4 majority in the coming term.