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B.C. voters can cast ballots in two elections Saturday, but polling places usually differ
Municipal election day on Oct. 17 coincides with the second day of B.C.’s provincial advance voting. Eligible voters can vote in both, but usually at separate locations; here’s how to find the right one and what identification to bring.
British Columbians can cast ballots in two elections on Saturday, Oct. 17, but they should make sure they are in the right lineup. Municipal election day overlaps with the second day of provincial advance voting. Eligible voters may vote in both elections, generally at separate locations.
Elections BC spokesperson Colleen Hildebrandt told Global News Morning on Saturday that the overlap is very rare and that the agency understands it may be confusing. She said Elections BC has not seen this happen since it became an independent office in 1995.
Local government websites list municipal election voting locations. Provincial voters can check their Where to Vote cards or enter their address in the lookup tool at elections.bc.ca (https://elections.bc.ca/). A few buildings are hosting voting for both elections, Hildebrandt said, with signs marking separate voting areas. She said election officials on site are happy to help.
Provincial advance voting runs through Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Election day is Saturday, Oct. 24. Voters may use any advance voting location, but should check its schedule because not every site is open each day.
More than one million people voted in advance in the last provincial election, Hildebrandt said. It is too early to know whether this election will follow that trend, but she described advance voting as a convenient option. Voters who are out on the weekend or have spare time can drop by any voting location; she said it takes about 10 minutes.
A Where to Vote card is not required. Eligible provincial voters can register when they arrive, but they need identification. Hildebrandt said voters may bring two pieces of identification, both showing their name, with at least one also showing their current home address.
Voters with questions can call the Elections BC call centre at 1-800-661-8683. Hildebrandt said Elections BC recognizes this is a unique situation and that people need to know where to go for each election. She called it exciting and said it is important for people to get out and vote.