Leonard Krog, the incumbent Nanaimo mayor seeking a third term after winning in 2018 and 2022, holds the leading trader consensus at 73% following his late July 2026 re-election announcement focused on core municipal services, housing, public safety, and budgets. His prior service as a BC MLA provides established name recognition ahead of the October 17, 2026 vote. Anne Marie Dryden sits at 15% as the mayoral candidate for the newly formed Real Nanaimo slate, which launched earlier in 2026 and stresses fiscal accountability and transparency based on her 35-plus years of local business and community experience. Nominations open in September, leaving time for additional candidates to declare and potentially influence assessments before the campaign period begins in mid-September.