Update 6 · October 18, 2026

Update 6 of 6: The Results Are In

The results are in, and this is a massive win for Palestinian human rights. Ken Sim, the mayor who championed adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, which conflates antizionism with antisemitism, has been resoundingly ousted from office.

Eight of the top ten elected city councillors have signed our Palestine platform, and six of them signed the full pledge, meaning a majority of the 11-person council is committed to all our demands.

The wins from the Vote Palestine project

• 22 of 64 mayoral and council candidates (33%) committed to our platform in full or in part
• 8 of the 11 candidates who won office committed to the platform in full or in part (73%, an even higher proportion)
• 6 of the 11 incoming councillors (54%) signed the full platform
• 3 Vancouver municipal parties endorsed the platform as parties
• The campaign spread to 10 cities across BC and mirrored similar efforts in Quebec
• Some candidates told us our outreach was the first time they had read the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association framework on Anti-Palestinian Racism and the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge
• 1,891 Vancouverites pledged to vote only for candidates who committed to our platform
• Vancouverites cast over 1.5 million votes for city council and school board trustee candidates who pledged in some way to take action for Palestine
• Post after post on social media showed members of the public building their ballots around our candidate information
• Once our website went live, before candidate outreach had even begun, candidates from across BC contacted us asking to endorse
• In conversations with the public, we were met with enormous support, often approached with the question, "So, what are we signing on for today?"

Solidarity with Palestine has moved from a minority position to the mainstream, and Vancouver has proven that commitment to Palestinian human rights wins elections.

We did this together

Volunteers canvassed, posted on social media, corresponded with and met candidates in person, made and circulated art, built and maintained our website and flyers, fielded and tracked donations, supported sister campaigns in other cities, phoned voters, and coordinated with endorsing organizations and community leaders.

Ken Sim spent $2.5 million on his campaign. We had a few hundred dollars and our conviction.

This campaign persevered through extraordinary challenges inherent to working for Palestinian human rights, and was lifted by generous institutional and individual support. To name just a few: Over the Edge patiently fielded our print orders, the Vancouver International Film Festival partnered with us on screenings of a documentary about Palestine, and artist A.S. Dhillon conceptualized and created the "Do you know if your candidates condemn genocide?" art series.

The electorate has spoken: the 2026 Vancouver City Council has a clear mandate to stand with the people of Palestine. Congratulations to all of us!

What comes next

Now we hold the new council accountable to their commitments. Campaign pledges are not pretty words. Voting in better candidates is not enough; it is up to us to stay vigilant and insist on material action from our representatives.

We also have to vote in the provincial election this coming Saturday. Our team is working feverishly to invite provincial candidates to state their position on Palestine. The turnaround is very short, so stay tuned.

Once again, our gratitude and respect to all of you. We could not have done this without you. As a municipality, we have expressed our horror at the deadly "ceasefire" in Gaza and the suffocating occupation of the West Bank. Our vote has said: no more. Palestine has liberated our minds; let's keep working until our institutions reflect that.

Vote Palestine Vancouver

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