Provincial candidates are making their last push for votes in the days leading up to the May 9 election, with several public appearances scheduled to supplement their door-knocking between now and voting day.
In addition, advance voting is underway throughout the province, with balloting available through Saturday in many locations. Hours at all advance voting location run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In the Parksville-Qualicum riding, advance voting takes place today (May 3) through Saturday (May 6) at the Parksville Elementary School gymnasium (330 Craig St.). Advance voting is available May 5 and 6 at the Christian Fellowship Centre in Qualicum Beach (825 Village Way), and on Saturday, May 6 only at Dover Bay Secondary School in North Nanaimo (6135 McGirr Rd.).
In the Mid Island-Pacific Rim riding, local advance polling takes place Thursday through Saturday, May 4-6, at the Bradley Centre in Coombs (975 Shearme Rd.) and May 5 and 6 at Lighthouse Community Centre in Bowser (240 Lions Way).
On Wednesday, Parksville-Qualicum candidates Michelle Stilwell (B.C. Liberal), Sue Powell (B.C. NDP) and Glenn Sollitt (B.C. Green) attended an all-candidates meeting at Arrowview Elementary School, with students from Nanoose Bay Elementary also in attendance. Terry Hand (B.C. Refederation) is also on the ballot for the riding.
Thursday night (May 4) candidates in the Mid Island-Pacific Rim riding — which encompasses North Qualicum, Bowser, Deep Bay, Coombs, Errington and River’s Edge — will take part in an all-candidates meeting at the Lighthouse Community Centre, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Candidates invited by the host Mount Arrowsmith Teachers’ Association (MATA) included incumbent Scott Fraser (B.C. NDP), Darren DeLuca (B.C. Liberal), Alicia LaRue (B.C. Green), Dan Cebuliak (B.C. Refederation), Julian Fell (B.C. Conservative) and Robert Clarke (Libertarian).
Today (May 4) Stilwell will attend an Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Foundation event at Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, which runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Stilwell will serve as a judge at the annual Fire and Ice Street Festival in downtown Qualicum Beach. Powell and Sollitt will also attend the festival and meet with the public.
On Sunday, Powell will attend the commemoration of the Battle of Atlantic, taking place at Qualicum Beach Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Also Sunday, Sollitt will hold a town hall meeting at Nanaimo’s Oliver Woods Community Centre, 6000 Oliver Rd., beginning at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. And Stilwell will take part in the Hike for Hospice beginning at 10 a.m. at Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo.
— NEWS Staff
