Ladysmith-Oceanside: candidates in the 2026 BC election

3 candidates are on the ballot in Ladysmith-Oceanside for the provincial election on Saturday, October 24, 2026. They are listed by last name.

Answer 16 short questions to see which party, and which of these candidates, is closest to your views. Available in 9 languages.

Candidates

Stephanie HigginsonIncumbent
BC NDP
MLA for Ladysmith-Oceanside since 2024. Former Nanaimo-Ladysmith school board trustee; lives on a small farm in Cedar.
Sources: Elections BC candidate list (2026), CHEK News: All Vancouver Island candidates for the 2026 B.C. election
Kris McNichol
BC Conservatives
Parksville-Nanoose resident for over 30 years who owns interests in five businesses. Volunteer firefighter, softball association president, 2025 federal Conservative nominee in Courtenay-Alberni.
Sources: Elections BC candidate list (2026), CHEK News: All Vancouver Island candidates for the 2026 B.C. election
Charlene Smylie
BC Greens
Former mayor and councillor of Wabamun, Alberta. Co-founded Redstone Electrical Services and served on Alberta Municipalities and Safety Codes Council boards.
Sources: Elections BC candidate list (2026), CHEK News: All Vancouver Island candidates for the 2026 B.C. election

Candidate list from Elections BC, as of October 18, 2026.

Ladysmith-Oceanside takes in Ladysmith, Cedar and rural west Nanaimo area, Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Qualicum Beach.

In 2024, Stephanie Higginson (BC NDP) won here by 2,047 votes, 6.0 points.

Everyone answers 13 province-wide questions. Voters in Vancouver Island and the Coast also get these 3:

BC Ferries has cancelled sailings, long waits, rising demand and a dispute over where ships are built. What should come first?
The Crofton pulp mill has closed, and old-growth logging is still argued over on the Island. What should be done with Island forests?
Nanaimo's hospital tower and cardiac lab are funded for planning, not construction, and a Campbell River care home was paused. What should come first?

Voting day: Saturday, October 24, 2026, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time.
Advance voting: Friday October 16 to Wednesday October 21, 2026, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Not every location is open every day; check yours.
Where: Find advance and election-day locations with the voting-place lookup on elections.bc.ca. District electoral offices also take voters until 4 p.m. on October 24. The October 17 municipal election is a separate vote with its own locations.
Who can vote: Canadian citizen, 18 or older on October 24, 2026, and a BC resident since April 23, 2026.
By mail: Request a vote-by-mail package online or by phone (1-800-661-8683) by October 18. Elections BC must receive it by 8 p.m. Pacific time on October 24 for it to be counted. If you are not registered or your voter information is out of date, prove your identity and address by uploading ID to Elections BC's ID upload system or by including photocopies of your ID with the returned package.