2026 Abbotsford-Mission provincial by-election

Background and timeline of events

The chain of events leading to the cancelled by-election began with the 2024 British Columbia provincial election, where Conservative candidate Reann Gasper defeated incumbent New Democratic Party minister Pam Alexis to become the MLA for Abbotsford-Mission. Gasper's victory gave the BC Conservatives a foothold in the legislature. On May 30, 2026, the party elected a new leader, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, a former federal Member of Parliament for South Surrey, White Rock and Delta, Richmond East who had also served as Minister of National Revenue from 2013 to 2015. As Findlay did not hold a seat, she required one to lead from within the legislative chamber. To facilitate this, sitting MLA Reann Gasper announced her resignation on August 22, 2026, and subsequently accepted a role as Findlay's deputy chief of staff. Under the constitutional rules governing British Columbia, specifically Section 35 of the Constitution Act, a by-election writ must be issued within six months of a seat becoming vacant, with the final voting day set exactly 28 days after the writ is issued. In accordance with this, Premier David Eby, of the governing NDP, issued the writ for the Abbotsford-Mission by-election on August 29, 2026, formally setting the vote for September 26. The campaign period proceeded for 24 days, but on September 22, Premier Eby called a snap general election for October 24, 2026. This announcement, made just four days before the by-election was to occur, automatically cancelled the Abbotsford-Mission vote, and all advance ballots that had been cast were declared void and not counted in the general election.

The Abbotsford-Mission constituency

Abbotsford-Mission is a semi-urban provincial electoral district in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia. The riding's geography is defined by the Fraser River, which it straddles, encompassing parts of northeastern Abbotsford, including the communities of Clayburn and Ridgedale, as well as the entire city of Mission, including the area of Hatzic. Created in 2008, the district has a history of competitive elections and has been represented by members of the BC Liberal, New Democratic, and BC Conservative parties. In the most recent election prior to the by-election, the 2024 provincial election, voter engagement was high, with Conservative candidate Reann Gasper collecting 13,523 votes, which represented 55.38 percent of the total vote share. The constituency's economic base includes agriculture, suburban development, and light industry, factors that often influence local policy debates. The district electoral office for administering elections was located at E100 7871 Stave Lake Street in Mission, operating on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Candidates for the cancelled by-election

Five candidates had been officially nominated for the by-election before its sudden cancellation. The Conservative Party candidate was leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, whose federal political experience included serving as the MP for South Surrey, White Rock from 2019 to 2025 and for Delta, Richmond East from 2011 to 2015, along with her tenure as a federal cabinet minister. Notably, Findlay resigned as leader of the BC Conservatives during the by-election campaign on September 20, 2026, citing internal party fighting, but she remained on the ballot as the candidate. The New Democratic Party candidate was Pam Alexis, who brought significant local and provincial experience, having served as the MLA for Abbotsford-Mission from 2020 to 2024, as the Minister of Agriculture and Food from 2022 to 2024, and as the mayor of Mission from 2018 to 2020. The Green Party candidate was Stephen Fowler, a lifelong resident of the Fraser Valley, a teacher at Rick Hansen Secondary School, and a former mill worker in Maple Ridge. Fowler had extensive campaign experience, having run federally for the Green Party of Canada in the 2015, 2019, and 2021 elections, and provincially in the 2020 British Columbia election. CentreBC announced Lakhwinder Jhaj as their candidate on August 30, 2026. Jhaj, a resident of Abbotsford, is a farmer, construction industry operator, and car dealership owner who also served on the Liberal Party of Canada's Mission, Matsqui, Abbotsford Electoral District Association board. Her previous electoral attempts included running for the NDP provincially in Abbotsford South in 2013 and Boundary-Similkameen in 2009, and federally for the Liberals in Skeena, Bulkley Valley in 2021. The Libertarian Party nominated Jeff Monds, a perennial candidate who had run for the Libertarian Party of Canada in the 2008 and 2011 federal elections, in multiple provincial elections, and most recently as an independent in the 2026 North Vancouver, Capilano federal by-election. OneBC, led by Dallas Brodie, announced on August 29 that it would not field a candidate, stating a desire not to interfere with Findlay's bid to enter the legislature.

The candidates for the by-election represented a wide range of professions and political backgrounds. The Conservative candidate was Kerry-Lynne Findlay, a former federal cabinet minister and MP. The NDP candidate was Pam Alexis, a former provincial minister and mayor. The Green candidate was Stephen Fowler, a teacher and former mill worker. The CentreBC candidate was Lakhwinder Jhaj, a farmer and business owner, and the Libertarian candidate was Jeff Monds, a perennial candidate.

• Kerry-Lynne Findlay (Conservative): Former federal Revenue Minister and MP with over a decade of federal experience.
• Pam Alexis (NDP): Former provincial cabinet minister, MLA, and municipal mayor in the riding.
• Stephen Fowler (Green): Educator and former industrial worker with multiple federal and provincial campaigns.
• Lakhwinder Jhaj (CentreBC): Agricultural and business operator with candidacies for two different federal parties.
• Jeff Monds (Libertarian): Veteran candidate participating in elections for nearly two decades.

Campaign dynamics and cancellation

The by-election campaign, though brief, included organized debates and focused on local issues. An all-candidates debate was held on September 10, 2026, where topics such as transportation infrastructure, agricultural policy, and taxation were discussed. The campaign period was marked by significant internal turmoil within the BC Conservative Party, which experienced multiple defections and public disputes over Kerry-Lynne Findlay's leadership, culminating in her resignation as party leader on September 20. Despite this instability, campaigning continued across the riding's communities. The decisive shift occurred on September 22, 2026, when Premier David Eby called a snap general election for October 24. This announcement meant the writ for the by-election was superseded, and the Abbotsford-Mission by-election was officially cancelled. All campaigning for the specific by-election ceased immediately, and the candidates had to pivot to the general election contest, where the lineup for the riding changed. The cancellation also had administrative consequences, as any advance voting that had taken place for the by-election was nullified, and those ballots were not transferred or counted in the general election results.

Aftermath and results of the 2026 general election

The cancellation of the by-election directly reshaped the candidate roster for the Abbotsford-Mission contest in the subsequent provincial general election. Reann Gasper, who had resigned to trigger the by-election, was not reselected as the Conservative candidate for the seat. Instead, the BC Conservatives nominated local businessman Darryl Kropp. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the intended by-election standard-bearer, did not appear on the general election ballot for the riding. The New Democratic Party once again nominated Pam Alexis. Other candidates who contested the general election in Abbotsford-Mission on October 24, 2026, included Virender Dass for the OneBC party, Lakhwinder Jhaj for CentreBC, and Jeff Monds. Voter turnout in the riding for the general election was notably lower than in 2024, with a total of 11,146 ballots cast from 44,439 registered voters, representing a turnout of approximately 25 percent. The official list of candidates for the general election in Abbotsford-Mission is shown in the following table.

The general election was a broader provincial vote where 93 Members of the Legislative Assembly were elected, with 47 seats required for a majority government. Premier David Eby called the snap election in September 2026. This created a unique calendar where the provincial election day on October 24, 2026, fell one week after municipal elections in British Columbia. The municipal general voting day was on October 17, 2026.

Electoral administration and voting procedures

For the planned by-election, electoral administration was managed by Elections BC, with the district electoral office in Mission serving as the local hub for information and operations. Voters could obtain information about voting and registration by calling Elections BC toll-free at 1-800-661-8683. Following the cancellation, all administrative efforts shifted to the provincial general election. The advance voting period for the general election was scheduled from October 16 to October 21, 2026, with all advance voting locations open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Final Voting Day was Saturday, October 24, 2026. Concurrently, municipal elections in the cities of Abbotsford and Mission were administered separately, with their advance voting opportunities on October 7, 10, and 11, and General Voting Day on Saturday, October 17. The City of Abbotsford offered a unique drive-through voting location at Abbotsford Exhibition Park, where voters could cast their municipal ballot from their vehicle. Elections BC also provided detailed information on voting by mail and the locations of service centres for the provincial election. The agency acknowledged its work on the territories of First Nations around British Columbia and offered assistance in over 220 languages and through other accessible options.

Historical context and comparable events

The cancelled Abbotsford-Mission by-election is a rare example in Canadian and British Columbian political history of a scheduled vote being voided by the calling of a general election. Such events are governed by strict constitutional timelines, as seen with the 28-day rule from the issuance of a writ. This incident can be compared to other cancelled by-elections, such as the 2017 Manchester Gorton by-election in the United Kingdom, which was cancelled due to the calling of the 2017 United Kingdom general election. In the Canadian context, the 2025 Battle River, Crowfoot federal by-election proceeded as scheduled, highlighting the variable timing of such votes. The Abbotsford-Mission situation also reveals the strategic calculations of political parties, where a seat vacancy is created to allow a party leader to enter the legislature, a manoeuvre that in this case was ultimately overtaken by a broader electoral event. The result was that the riding's representation was determined not by a focused by-election but by the wider provincial contest held on October 24, 2026. This event is listed among other notable by-elections on the 2026 Canadian electoral calendar and in the list of British Columbia by-elections.

Questions about 2026 Abbotsford-Mission provincial by-election

Why was the Abbotsford-Mission by-election in 2026 cancelled?

The by-election was cancelled because Premier David Eby called a snap provincial general election for October 24, 2026. The announcement on September 22, 2026, just four days before the by-election was to be held, meant the writ for the by-election was superseded by the writ for the general election. As a result, the scheduled vote for September 26 was voided, and any ballots already cast in advance voting were not counted. The vacancy was instead filled during the general election held a month later.

Who was supposed to be the Conservative candidate in the by-election?

The Conservative candidate was Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the leader of the BC Conservative Party. She was a former federal Member of Parliament and cabinet minister who had been elected party leader in May 2026. Findlay did not hold a seat in the legislature, so sitting MLA Reann Gasper resigned on August 22, 2026, to create a vacancy for her to run. Findlay resigned as party leader during the by-election campaign due to internal party strife but remained a candidate until the vote was cancelled.

Who were the other candidates nominated for the by-election?

Four other candidates were nominated alongside Kerry-Lynne Findlay. The NDP candidate was former MLA and minister Pam Alexis. The Green Party candidate was teacher and former mill worker Stephen Fowler. CentreBC nominated farmer and business owner Lakhwinder Jhaj. The Libertarian Party nominated perennial candidate Jeff Monds. The OneBC party announced it would not run a candidate in the by-election.

How did the cancellation affect the 2026 general election in Abbotsford-Mission?

The cancellation led to a different slate of candidates in the general election. The BC Conservatives nominated Darryl Kropp instead of Kerry-Lynne Findlay or Reann Gasper. Pam Alexis ran again for the NDP. Other candidates included Virender Dass for OneBC, Lakhwinder Jhaj for CentreBC, and Jeff Monds. Voter turnout in the riding for the general election was approximately 25 percent, with 11,146 ballots cast from 44,439 registered voters.

When was the by-election originally scheduled to be held?

The by-election was officially called on August 29, 2026, when Premier David Eby issued the writ. The final voting day was scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026. This date was set exactly 28 days after the writ was issued, as required by Section 35 of the Constitution Act. The by-election was cancelled on September 22, 2026, just four days before the planned election day.

What happened to Reann Gasper after she resigned?

After resigning as MLA for Abbotsford-Mission on August 22, 2026, Reann Gasper took a position as deputy chief of staff to Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. The by-election intended to fill her seat was cancelled due to a snap general election called for October 24, 2026. Consequently, Gasper was not reselected as the Conservative candidate for the riding she had vacated. Instead, the BC Conservative Party selected businessman Darryl Kropp as their candidate for the general election. This meant Gasper did not return to the legislature after her resignation.

Sources and further reading

• 2026 Abbotsford-Mission provincial by-election (Wikipedia)
• Byelection called for Abbotsford-Mission, BC Gov News (news.gov.bc.ca)
• BC election 2026 results: Abbotsford-Mission (globalnews.ca)
• Abbotsford-Mission: BC election 2026 candidates and results (bcballot.ca)

Checked by the Your Space Hamilton desk. Last updated 2026-10-24.