Chilliwack-Kent 2020 provincial election candidates, clockwise from bottom left, Kelli Paddon (NDP), Eli Gagne (Libertarian), Jeff Hammersmark (Green), Jason Lum (Independent), and Laurie Throness (Independent).

Chilliwack-Kent 2020 provincial election candidates, clockwise from bottom left, Kelli Paddon (NDP), Eli Gagne (Libertarian), Jeff Hammersmark (Green), Jason Lum (Independent), and Laurie Throness (Independent).

Chilliwack-Kent: 8,700 votes cast ahead of 2020 election

There are more than 43,000 registered voters in the riding

  • Oct. 24, 2020 12:00 a.m.

More than 8,700 voters in the Chilliwack-Kent riding showed up in advance to cast their ballot during the 2020 general election.

Advance voting closed on Wednesday, Oct. 21. According to statistics from Elections BC, just under 20 per cent of the 43,698 registered voters in the riding voted prior to Election Day on Saturday, Oct. 24. This averages out to about 1,245 voters for each of the seven days polls were open ahead of election day.

Advance turnout reflects the number of voters who voted at an advance voting location and does not account for vote-by-mail ballots.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first and final days of advance voting were the busiest in the riding with 1,747 voters on the first day and 1,688 on the final day. Monday, Oct. 19, had the lowest turnout of the seven days at 506.

RELATED: Early turnout breaks records as more than a million people vote ahead of B.C. election

In the nearby Chilliwack riding, approximately 17 per cent of the 37,676 registered voters voted at the advance voting locations. This accounts for 6,490 voters.

Provincially, approximately 19.5 per cent of the almost 3.5 million registered voters have cast their ballots at advance locations, meaning 681,055 British Columbians have voted in advance.

RELATED: Advance voting nears 5,000 in Chilliwack-Kent

Election Day is Saturday, Oct. 24. Polling locations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Due to the pandemic, more British Columbians have decided to vote by mail-in ballot than ever before. Election results won’t be finalized until after Nov. 6., when those mail-in ballots are counted.

Stay connected to the Observer for preliminary election results.


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Agassiz-Harrison Observer