Advance voting begins today for the B.C. provincial election and runs until Oct. 21. Elections BC’s website said it added an extra day to the advance vote to help reduce the number of people at voting places. Locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Residents can check their Where to Vote card, which was mailed out last week to registered voters, according to Elections BC. They can also enter their address here to find the nearest advance voting place and general voting place. Voters can also call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
There will be advanced voting at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre and the Christian Fellowship Centre in Qualicum Beach. Advanced polling is available for anyone who wants to vote early. Voters should note some stations may not be open each day of advanced voting.
British Columbians can still register to vote in person or by mail, but the deadline to register online or on the phone has passed, according to Elections BC.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail package is Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.
General Voting Day is Oct. 24 and people can cast their ballot from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will need to bring valid ID and are encouraged by Elections BC to wear a mask and bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot if they wish. A person must be a Canadian citizen, 18-years-old or older and a B.C. resident for six months as of General Voting Day.
Every registered voter is given an assigned voting location, but can vote elsewhere in their riding if it is more convenient, according to Elections BC.
All voting places will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines, including: physical distancing; capacity limits; protective barriers and hand sanitizing stations. Election officials will wear personal protective equipment and voting stations will be cleaned frequently.
Officials will ask voters to sanitize their hands before and after voting.
