On October 24th, 2020, British Columbians will elect a new provincial government. Whether you’re a little confused about the whole voting process, a first-time voter or a seasoned professional, here’s what you need to know about the upcoming election.
What am I voting for?
The upcoming election will decide who the new members of the BC Legislative Assembly are. For the upcoming election, the province is split up into 87 electoral districts. UVicis located in the Oak Bay-Gordon Head electoral district. Each electoral district elects an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) to the BC Legislature. Whichever political party has the support of the majority of MLAs will form the government.
Am I eligible to vote?
To vote you must be:
– A Canadian citizen
– 18 years old by October 24th, 2020
– A resident of BC at least 6 months prior to Election Day, October 24th, 2020
Do I have to register to vote?
In order to vote, you must be registered. You can register any time, including at the time you cast your vote, whether you vote in person or by mail.
Currently, registration online and over the phone is closed; so you have to register by mail or in person at the voting station.
The voter list is constantly updated by Elections BC, so even if you have not voted in BC before or if your address has changed, you may already be registered. You can check if you are registered or update your information by calling Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
How do I vote?
There are two options this year: in-person voting and mail-in voting. All registered voters will receive an assigned voting place, but if another voting place is more convenient for you, it is possible to vote there instead. You do not have to contact anyone in advance to change voting places.
1. In-person voting
Any eligible voter can vote in-person during any of the six advance voting days, Thursday, October 15th to Wednesday, October 21st. These voting places are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can also vote in person on General Election Day, October 24th, 2020 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you plan on voting in-person, you will need an ID. You can either provide one piece of government ID that has your photo, name and address, or provide two pieces of ID that both have your name and at least one has your address.
If you don’t have an ID, you can have someone come with you to the voting station and vouch for you. This person must be a registered voter resident in the same electoral district or your spouse, parent, grandparent, adult child, adult grandchild, adult sibling or a person with authority to make personal decisions for you. A voucher must provide their identity and address.
2. Mail-in voting
After you register to vote, you can request a vote-by-mail package until 4 p.m. on Election Day, October 24th, 2020. Once requested, the package will be mailed to you. If you would prefer to pick up your vote-by-mail package, you can pick it up at your nearest district electoral office.
Once completed, you can return your vote-by-mail package in person at any voting place or at your district electoral office. You can also return it by mail, using the provided postage-paid envelope.
These packages must be returned by October 24th, 2020 before 8 p.m.
What about COVID-19?
Elections BC is making sure to take protective measures to ensure a safe voting space. These include:
– Physical distancing
– Capacity limits
– Election officials wearing protective equipment
– Hand sanitizing stations
– Frequent cleaning
You may wear a face mask if you wish. You will not be asked to remove the mask.
Voting is a fundamental human right, so however you vote this October, we hope you exercise this right.