Eligible voters who have moved since the last provincial election should update their voter information either by phone or online ahead of the October election. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

october election

‘A big effort:’ voter registration cards in the mail from Elections BC

Aug 27, 2024 | 2:04 PM

NANAIMO — Voter registration is well underway ahead of this fall’s provincial election.

Elections BC is in the process of sending out roughly two million voter registration notices to the approximately 3.5 million registered voters in B.C., to ensure their information is correct ahead of the Oct. 19 election.

Andrew Watson, a spokesperson with Elections BC, said notices started going out mid-August and will continue through to the middle of September.

“The voter registration notices show the voters registered at that address and we’re asking voters to check that information, if it’s correct then no action is required. If their voter registration information has changed or new voters have moved to the address, we ask them to…update the information.”

Updates can be made by calling Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 or going online to elections.bc.ca/register.

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The notices are different than voter information cards, which display specific voting locations and advance voting opportunities.

Those cards will be mailed out after the election is officially called on Sept. 21.

Watson said “it is a big effort” to have correct information well before a vote, but it helps make the process much smoother.

“It helps voters because they get that important information about their voting opportunities in the election, and it also helps our election officials working the polls because it’s faster to process a voter that doesn’t need to update their information when they go to vote.”

To vote in October’s election, voters must be Canadian citizens 18 years of age or older as of Oct. 19. They must have also been a B.C. resident since at least April 18, 2024.

New ridings will be in effect for the 2024 election, which split the mid-Island into four different areas.

Nanaimo itself will be split into two ridings (Nanaimo-Gabriola and Nanaimo-Lantzville), mainly along Northfield Rd., while a third riding (Ladysmith-Oceanside) will encompass Ladysmith, Nanoose Bay, Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

Residents in parts of Oceanside to the west of Hwy. 19, including Coombs, Hilliers and Errington will vote in the Mid-Island Pacific Rim riding alongside Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.

Candidates have until Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. to file the required paperwork and be included on the ballot for their riding.

— with files from Bill Nation, 97.3 The Eagle

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