British Columbians who have already made up their minds in the provincial election will be able to cast their ballots in-person, starting today.
Advance voting runs from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21, with Election Day on Oct. 24.
Elections BC had received roughly 670,000 vote-by-mail package requests as of Oct. 14. There are 3.48 million registered voters in B.C.
READ MORE: Here’s how voting amid a pandemic will happen in B.C.
Here’s what you need to know before you vote:
Some voters who have been issued a vote-by-mail package may not have received it yet, and Elections BC says it is possible that some voters will receive their vote-by-mail package after the recommended deadline to return it by mail on Oct. 17.
Voters in this situation should plan on returning their package in person to a designated drop-off location, or vote in person during advance voting or on Election Day. Voters who have requested a vote-by-mail package must destroy it if they choose to vote in person.
Voters who have received their vote-by-mail package are encouraged to return it to Elections BC as soon as possible. Elections BC recommends voters mail their completed package by Saturday, Oct. 17, at the latest. After Oct. 17, Elections BC recommends voters return their completed package in person at any designated drop-off location. Designated drop-off locations include district electoral offices, voting places during voting hours, and some Service BC locations.
When voting in-person, Cariboo North voters will notice some differences this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To prevent close contact, some familiar voting procedures may also be different than years’ past, Elections BC has said.
“For example, voters will make a verbal declaration of their eligibility to vote instead of signing a voting book,” according to Elections BC. “Voters also can bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot.”
Advance polling locations:
Advance voting places will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21.
Cariboo North have two options for advance voting: the Quesnel and District Seniors’ Centre at 461 Carson Ave., and the Ramada Inn Convention Centre at 1118 Lakeview Cres. in Williams Lake.
Candidates running in the Cariboo North riding:
- Scott Elliott, B.C. NDP
- Douglas Gook, B.C. Green Party
- Coralee Oakes, B.C. Liberal Party
- Kyle Townsend, Conservative Party of B.C.
Voter registration:
While eligible voters don’t have to register ahead of time to take part in the election, Elections BC recommends British Columbians sign up early in order to avoid lengthy lineups.
Voters can register or update their information online at elections.bc.ca/ovr or by calling 1-800-661-8683. Registration closed on Sept. 26.
To be eligible, British Columbians must be able to show one of the following pieces of identification:
- A B.C. driver’s licence
- A B.C. Identification Card
- A B.C. Services Card, with photo
- A Certificate of Indian Status
- Another card issued by the B.C. government, or Canada, that shows your name, photo and address
Health rules for voting during COVID-19:
All voting places and district electoral offices will have protective measures in place, including:
- Physical distancing
- Capacity limits
- Election officials wearing personal protective equipment (such as masks and face-visors)
- Protective barriers
- Hand sanitizing stations
- Frequent cleaning of voting stations and frequently touched surfaces
- Election workers trained on safe workplace guidelines and pandemic protocols
READ MORE: B.C. VOTES: Advance polling in Quesnel to begin on Oct. 15
– with files from Ashley Wadhwani
