Abbotsford-Mission byelection set for Sept. 26 after MLA Reann Gasper resigns
VICTORIA, B.C. — British Columbia voters in the Abbotsford-Mission electoral district will head to the polls next month after Premier David Eby officially called a byelection for the vacant provincial seat.
Final voting day has been set for Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, according to an information bulletin issued Friday by the Office of the Premier.
The byelection follows the resignation of Reann Gasper, the former Conservative MLA for Abbotsford-Mission, who stepped down on Aug. 22.
While the provincial government announcement formally confirms the date of the vote, the upcoming contest is expected to draw significant political attention because Gasper’s resignation was intended to create an opportunity for BC Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay to seek election to the B.C. Legislature.
Findlay was elected leader of the Conservative Party of BC earlier this year but does not currently hold a seat in the provincial legislature. Gasper announced her decision to resign with the intention of allowing Findlay to pursue the Conservative nomination and contest the Abbotsford-Mission seat.
Gasper said her decision was voluntary and that she believed putting the broader political goal ahead of her own position was important for the party’s future.
The Canadian Press reported that Findlay, a former federal MP, won the BC Conservative leadership in May with 51 per cent of the vote. Her effort to secure a seat in the legislature now gives the Abbotsford-Mission byelection broader significance beyond a typical vacancy contest.
A key test for BC Conservative leadership
The Sept. 26 byelection could become an important early electoral test for Findlay’s leadership of the BC Conservatives.
The party has experienced significant internal turbulence in recent weeks, with several MLAs leaving the Conservative caucus. Political developments within the party have increased attention on whether Findlay can consolidate support and strengthen the party’s position in the B.C. Legislature.
The Abbotsford-Mission race will also test the Conservatives’ ability to retain a riding that the party won in the 2024 provincial election.
Gasper was elected in Abbotsford-Mission in 2024 after defeating NDP candidate and incumbent MLA Pam Alexis. Official Elections BC results show Gasper received 13,523 votes, or 55.38 per cent, while Alexis received 10,894 votes, or 44.62 per cent. A total of 24,417 valid votes were cast in the riding, with voter turnout recorded at 57.42 per cent among registered voters.
The result gave the Conservatives a margin of victory of fewer than 3,000 votes, meaning the upcoming byelection could become competitive depending on the candidates nominated by other political parties.
Why the seat became vacant
The Office of the Premier said the Abbotsford-Mission seat officially became vacant when Gasper resigned as MLA on Saturday, Aug. 22.
Before her resignation, Gasper represented the riding as a member of the Conservative Party of BC and had served in party roles including deputy whip and critic for Children and Family Development.
Her departure came shortly after Findlay’s election as party leader and opened a path for the Conservative leader to seek a seat in the provincial legislature.
In announcing her decision, Gasper said she intended to continue supporting Findlay and the Conservative Party’s efforts to challenge the governing BC NDP.
The upcoming vote will determine who represents the Fraser Valley riding when the B.C. Legislature resumes its political agenda.
Parties prepare for campaign
With the byelection now officially called, political parties are expected to begin organizing campaigns and announcing candidates for the Sept. 26 vote.
Findlay’s potential candidacy is expected to make Abbotsford-Mission one of the most closely watched provincial political contests in British Columbia this fall.
A victory would give the BC Conservative leader a direct seat in the legislature and allow her to participate in legislative debates as an elected MLA.
However, the campaign will take place during a period of political instability within the Conservative caucus, following the departure of several MLAs in August. Political observers have suggested that changes within the province’s centre-right political landscape could also influence the outcome of the byelection.
The BC NDP and other parties are also expected to contest the riding, although official candidate lists and nominations will determine the final field.
Voting information
Elections BC will administer the Abbotsford-Mission byelection and provide official information about voter registration, voting opportunities and election procedures.
Residents seeking information about voting or registering to vote can contact Elections BC toll-free at 1-800-661-8683 or visit the agency’s official website.
The Sept. 26 byelection comes just weeks before British Columbia’s scheduled general local elections on Oct. 17, although the Abbotsford-Mission contest is a provincial election and is administered separately from municipal voting.
For Abbotsford-Mission voters, the election will determine who fills the vacancy left by Gasper and represents the riding in Victoria.
For provincial political parties, however, the result could carry broader implications — particularly for Findlay and the future direction of the BC Conservative Party as it attempts to position itself against Premier David Eby’s BC NDP government.
The campaign is now expected to intensify as candidates seek support ahead of final voting day on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
