RDN Board Voting

Learn about how the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Board voting formula works when they are making decisions. The population-based voting formula used by the RDN Board needs to change because our region is growing.

Understanding the RDN’s Voting Formula

The RDN uses a system set out in B.C.’s Local Government Act to decide:

• How many directors sit on the RDN Board and
• How many votes each director gets.

Both depend on population.

Right now, the system uses:

• A voting unit of 2,500 people and
• A voting divisor of five.

As the population—especially in Nanaimo—is growing quickly, this formula is expected to no longer work after the 2026 Census is applied in 2027. Therefore, the RDN is exploring ways to fix this before the 2026 Census numbers take effect. The voting formula matters because it shapes how the RDN Board makes decisions for the region.

When the RDN was formed in 1967, the voting unit was set at 3,000. It was later changed several times as follows:

• In February of 1973 the voting unit was amended to 2,000;
• In February of 1975 the voting unit was amended to 1,500; and
• In November of 1982 the voting unit was amended to 2,500 where it remains to this day.

Proposal the RDN Board is considering

The proposed changes (Option 3: Changes to the voting unit and voting divisor) include:

1. Increasing the voting unit from 2,500 people to 2,600 (this number determines how many votes each area gets); and,
2. Changing the voting divisor from 5 to 6.7 (this determines how many directors each community needs to appoint to the RDN Board based on how many votes it receives).

With this change the City of Nanaimo would receive more votes to reflect its growing population but would only need to appoint seven directors. The City of Parksville is also expected to gain one vote due to population growth but keep the same number of directors. The District of Lantzville, Town of Qualicum Beach and the seven electoral areas would keep the same number of directors and votes. The proposal must be submitted to the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs for approval. When changing the voting formula, the Board can consider the options below.

Option 1: Changes to the voting unit

• It means the population number that is used to set the number of directors represent each area.
• The voting unit varies significantly across the province from 600 to 20,000.
• The RDN’s current voting unit is 2,500.
• If the number is increased could change the number of directors and could also change how many votes each Director has for weighted votes on things like contracts and finances and for decisions about how local services are delivered.

Option 2: Changes to the voting divisor

• The RDN’s current voting divisor is five but this number can be changed.
• There is only ever one electoral area director for each electoral area but the number of municipal directors can change depending on population and the divisor.
• Using the total population divided by the voting unit gives us 73. That gives us the 19 directors currently on the RDN Board.
• Increasing the divisor would make the number of directors on the RDN Board fit projected population and make the board more manageable.

Option 3: Changes to the voting unit and voting divisor

• Changes to the voting unit and voting divisor will involve a combination of both options 1 and 2 above.

The RDN Board is considering not just the math but also values such as fairness, equity, balance, reasonableness and inclusive regional governance.

How to learn more and share your thoughts

• Visit our FAQ's
• Check out our documents or important links
• If you have any comments on the voting formulas being considered, please send an email to inquiries@rdn.bc.ca between March 11 at 8:30 a.m. and April 17, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., mail it to the Regional District of Nanaimo at 6300 Hammond Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N2 or you can request to be a delegation at an upcoming RDN Board meeting, tentatively scheduled for April 28, 2026, and present to the RDN Board
• Ask a question about this project at the Q&As tab below

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the RDN!