HST vote details emerging

The B.C. government today announced the process by which

British Columbians will cast their ballot in the HST referendum vote

this summer.

Key Dates:

* Monday, June 13 - Elections BC starts mailing out referendum ballots

for the HST to all registered voters.

* Friday, June 24 - Majority of British Columbians have received the

ballot.

* Friday, July 8 - Last day for unregistered voters to request a ballot

from Elections BC.

* Friday, July 22, 4:30 p.m. (local time) - Completed ballots must be

received by mail by Elections BC or in person by a Service BC centre.

Elections BC, a non-partisan office of the legislature, will conduct the

referendum.

British Columbians who are not registered voters for a provincial

election, or who have moved since the last election and have not updated

their voter record, will need to request a ballot from Elections BC.

It will take several weeks for Elections BC to count the ballots.

Results of the vote are expected in August.

The referendum question will be:

"Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) and

reinstating the PST (Provincial Sales Tax) in conjunction with the GST

(Goods and Services Tax)? Yes/No."