Final voting day in the 2024 provincial election has arrived and polling stations around the province will be open today from 8 am until 8 pm.
Voters on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast head to the polling stations under heavy rain and windy conditions, with rainfall warnings in place this morning from Duncan north to Campbell River, Powell River and Sechelt, but the rain is expected to turn to showers by this afternoon in Campbell River, Courtenay, and Powell River.
Over 1-million of BC’s more than 3.5 million registered voters have already cast ballots at the advance polls, that were held over six days.
Elections BC mailed Where to Vote cards to registered voters in the province that show assigned polling stations, but people can vote at any if it is more convenient.
There is also a list of voting places on the Elections BC website.
All voters must show proof of their identity and residential address before voting by presenting ID, such as a BC Driver’s License, BC Identification Card, BC Services Card or Certificate of Indian Status, or two pieces of ID that both show your name and at least one with your current address.
The where to Vote card can be used as one of two pieces of ID.
Voters who do not have ID can be vouched for at the polling station.
You may not have to wait long to see the provincial election results.
The introduction of electronic tabulators to count the paper ballots will allow Elections BC to post results on their website much quicker than previous elections.
Communications Director, Andrew Watson, says the first results should be available around 15 minutes after polls close.
“Our goal is to report about half of the results by 8:30pm, and then the majority of the results within an hour of polls closing.”
Watson says the previous manual tally process would have results roll in roughly 45 minutes after the polls close.
The electronic tabulators will be familiar to some voters, as they were tested in provincial by-elections in 2022 and 2023, and have been used in municipal elections in the province.
