Voting in BC’s Provincial General Election
byBC’s 41st Provincial General Election is coming up on May 9, a date that all eligible voters should have circled on their calendar, like I did, until I realized that I have a travel assignment during that time. Not to worry! There are lots of ways to vote in BC. I have put together this summary to outline all of the ways you can vote in the 2017 Provincial General Election.
Check If You’re Eligible
You are eligible to vote in the provincial election in British Columbia if you are:
- 18 or older on May 9, 2017
- a Canadian citizen, and
- a BC resident for the past six months
You also need to be registered before you can vote. Online and phone registration has closed, but don’t worry, you can still register in the voting place right before you vote.
Don’t Forget ID
You need to show ID that proves your identity and home address in order to vote. You can:
1. Show one of these:
- A BC driver’s licence
- A BC Identification Card (BCID)
- A BC Services Card (with photo)
- A Certificate of Indian Status
OR
2. Show two documents, both with your name and at least one with your current home address.
A full list of acceptable ID is available online here.
Voting in the 2017 Provincial General Election
General Voting Day is May 9, but there are 28 days and so many ways you can vote, including:
- Voting in a district electoral office
- Voting by mail
- Advance voting (April 29-30 and May 3-6)
- General voting
All voters can vote at any voting place in BC. Find your assigned voting place or voting places near you by:
- Using Elections BC’s Where to Vote application
- Checking the list of advance and general voting places online here
- Looking for your Where to Vote card in the mail
- Contacting Elections BC
Advance Voting in BC
Advance voting is available on April 29 and 30, and May 3, 4, 5 and 6. Advance voting places are open from 8:00am to 8:00pm (local time). All voters can vote at any advance voting place, and all advance voting places are wheelchair accessible.
General Voting
General Voting Day is Tuesday, May 9, 2017. Voting places will be open from 8:00am to 8:00pm (Pacific time).
Vote at a District Electoral Office
You can also vote at any district electoral office. Voting is available from now until 4:00pm on General Voting Day.
Vote by Mail
Voters can request a vote by mail package from now until 4:00pm on General Voting Day. Packages can be requested online or by calling 1-800-661-8683. The completed package must be returned to the district electoral office that issued the package by 8:00pm (Pacific time) on May 9.
For all of this information and so much more, visit the Elections BC website and follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using #iVoteBC, and show your support by updating your social profiles.
If you have any questions, contact Elections BC. Your vote counts! Be sure to cast your ballot for the 2017 Provincial Election.
