Advance voting opens Thursday across the province ahead of the Oct. 19 general election. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

one week

Advance voting opens for 2024 B.C. provincial election

Oct 10, 2024 | 6:03 AM

NANAIMO — A week-long advance voting period opens Thursday for the 2024 provincial election.

Selected polling places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. between Thursday, Oct. 10 and Wednesday, Oct. 16, with the exception of Monday, Oct. 14.

All voters must prove their identity to receive a ballot.

Elections BC requires either a BC driver’s license, BC Identification Card, BC Services Card, another provincial or federal government ID or Certificate of Indian status.

People without any of those documents can instead provide two of any in a long list of documents, or take other steps, outlined here on the Elections BC website.

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Polling places conducting advance voting include:

Nanaimo-Gabriola

• Gabriola Elementary School (680 North Rd., Gabriola Island)
• Moose Lodge #1052 (1356 Cranberry Ave., Nanaimo)
• Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256 (1630 East Wellington Rd., Nanaimo)
• St. Paul’s Anglican Church (100 Chapel St., Nanaimo)
• VIU – building 300 (900 Fifth St., Nanaimo)

Nanaimo-Lantzville

• Beban Park Rec Centre (2300 Bowen Rd., Nanaimo)
• Costin Hall (7232 Lantzville Rd., Lantzville)
• Wellington Hall (3922 Corunna Ave., Nanaimo)

Ladysmith Oceanside

• Christian Fellowship Centre (825 Village Way, Qualicum Beach)
• Craig St. Commons Gym (330 Craig St., Parksville)
• Saltair Community Centre (3850 South Oyster School Rd., Ladysmith)
• Stz’uminus Health Centre (3945 Shell Beach Rd., Ladysmith)

Mid-Island Pacific Rim

• Alberni Athletic Hall (3727 Roger St., Port Alberni)
• Bradley Centre (975 Shearme Rd., Coombs)
• Cumberland Cultural Centre (2674 Dunsmuir Ave., Cumberland)
• Fanny Bay Community Hall (7793 Island Hwy. S, Fanny Bay)
• Lighthouse Community Centre (240 Lions Way, Bowser)
• Tofino Community Hall (351 Arnet Rd., Tofino)
• Ucluelet Community Hall (500 Matterson Dr., Ucluelet)

A complete list of all electoral districts in B.C. is available on the Elections BC website.

Advance voting opportunities have increased in recent years for elections at all levels, however the number of voters taking advantage has remained a small fraction of the total number of votes cast.

In 2020, the three mid-Island ridings (Nanaimo, Nanaimo-North Cowichan and Parksville Qualicum) saw between 2.8 per cent and 4.8 per cent of votes come in the advance period.

Significantly more people voted by mail, with 32.5 per cent of ballots in Nanaimo-North Cowichan mailed in, 36.3 per cent in Nanaimo and 38.3 per cent in Parksville Qualicum.

Ballots can also be cast at any district electoral office up until 4 p.m. on Oct. 19. A complete list of offices is available here.

Voting packages can be requested online or over the phone from Elections BC until Oct. 13, or in person at a district electoral office until 4 p.m. on Oct. 19.

Elections BC must receive all mail-in ballots before 8 p.m. on Oct. 19. More information on voting by mail is available here.

General voting day is Oct. 19.

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