Elections for local school trustees will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, in conjunction with the 2026 BC General Local Election. Democratically and locally elected school trustees are the voice of local communities in public education, setting direction for schools that shape the lives of students and families. Every student deserves a strong, accountable school system that ensures their success.
Trustees engage their communities in building and maintaining a school system that reflects local priorities, values and strategic goals. School trustees listen to their communities, guide the work of their school district, hire the superintendent, and set plans, policies and the annual budget.
Trustees are responsible for governing a school district as part of a corporate board. Boards of education co-govern school districts with the provincial government. B.C.’s Ministry of Education sets the curriculum, funding and legal framework for K-12 education.
Run for School Trustee: https://youtu.be/9XhOOW6TY9Q
Understanding the Role of a School Trustee: https://youtu.be/cCn3aErORR4
Important Information
City of Chilliwack 2026 General Local Election
BC School Trustees Association: What is a School Trustee?
BC School Trustees Association: Your Guide to Becoming a School Trustee
BC School Trustees Association: The Role of Boards and Trustees in BC
Ministry of Education and Child Care: School Trustee Election Procedures
Levels of Government and Their Responsibilities
Key Dates
- Nomination Period: September 1 - 11, 2026
- Declaration of Candidates: September 11, 2026
- Pre-campaign Period: July 20, 2026
- Campaign Period begins: September 19, 2026
- Advanced Polls: October 3 & October 10, 2026
- General Voting Day: October 17, 2026
Find more information on the City of Chilliwack's website.
Board Governance
It is important for candidates to understand the difference between governance and administration. The School Act assigns specific responsibilities to the board of education, the superintendent and the secretary-treasurer. In most districts, the superintendent is the only employee who reports directly to the board. It is the board’s role to govern. It is the superintendent's role to run the district’s day-to-day operations.
Trustees are part of a board. Individual trustees have no legal authority. Only the board as a whole holds power. All significant decisions and direction to the superintendent or staff must come from the board, not from individual trustees. Trustees may be motivated to run for personal or community reasons, for example, they may have a passion for student success or specific education issues. These motivations are important and valuable. However, once elected, trustees must always look beyond individual issues and make decisions that serve the best interests of the entire school district
- Governance Policies
110 Policy: District Purpose, Mission, Motto, and Values
120 Policy: Board Authority, Roles and Responsibilities
130 Policy: Trustee Code of Conduct
131 Policy: Trustee Conflict of Interest
190 Policy: Trustee RemunerationFind all district policies on the district website.
Time Commitment
Trustees can expect to spend approximately 10-15 hours per week on board business. This includes board and committee meetings (and preparation time), community engagement, professional development and learning about new issues, and responding to constituent concerns. The time commitment for the role of chair or vice chair can be much higher.
See page 11 of BCSTA's Guide to Becoming a School Trustee for an example calendar.
2026 General Local Elections
| What are general local elections? | General local elections include elections for:
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| Guidance materials | It is your responsibility to ensure you follow the rules in the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act. See the resources below for support and guidance: |
Visit elections.bc.ca/local-elections for more information.