Mail-in ballot from Elections BC. (Katya Slepian photo)

Mail-in ballot from Elections BC. (Katya Slepian photo)

UPDATE: Over 15,000 mail-in ballots issued in Delta

6,967 vote-by-mail packages issued in Delta North, about 18 per cent of the 37,998 registered voters

Elections BC is reporting more than 15,000 Delta residents have been issued vote-by-mail packages.

Voters had until 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 to request a mail-in ballot, and Elections BC says 724,277 vote-by-mail packages have been issued across the province. That represents a little less than 21 per cent of B.C.’s 3,485,858 registered voters.

Elections BC says it has received about 235,800 returned vote-by-mail packages — roughly 33 per cent of packages issued to date — however the number of mail-in ballots considered during the final count may be less than that after packages are screened for compliance with the Election Act.

As of midnight on Oct. 18, 15,640 Delta-area residents had been issued mail-in ballots — just under 21 per cent of the 75,037 registered voters in the City of Delta and Tsawwassen First Nation.

In Delta North, 6,967 vote-by-mail packages have been issued. That’s just over 18 per cent of the 37,998 registered voters in the riding.

Meanwhile, in Delta South, 8,673 vote-by-mail packages have been issued — a bit over 23 per cent of the 37,039 registered voters in the riding.

Vote-by-mail packages must be received by Elections BC before 8 p.m. on Oct. 24.

Mail-in packages include a postage paid return envelope, but people can also drop them off in-person at district electoral offices, voting places and participating Service BC locations.

RELATED: B.C. VOTES: 2020: Get those mail-in ballots in the post ASAP

SEE ALSO: Mail-in ballot uptake in B.C. influenced by political leaning, geography

Advance voting began on Thursday, Oct. 15 and runs through Wednesday, Oct. 21, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with general voting on Saturday, Oct. 24. Visit elections.bc.ca/voting/where-to-vote for more information about where and how to cast your ballot.

READ MORE: B.C. VOTES 2020: Advance voting begins today in North Delta

Three candidates are vying to represent Delta North in the Legislature following the election: Ravi Kahlon (BC NDP), Neema Manral (BC Green Party) and Jet Sunner (BC Liberal Party).

READ MORE: Three candidates running in Delta North

RELATED: Racism, policing discussed at Delta North all-candidates meeting

— with files from Lauren Collins


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North Delta Reporter