English
British Columbians faced an unusual situation on Saturday, October 17, with two separate elections taking place on the same day. Local government elections coincided with the second day of provincial advance voting, giving eligible voters the opportunity to cast ballots in both — though generally at different locations.
A Rare Overlap That Caught Many Off Guard
Elections BC spokesperson Colleen Hildebrandt acknowledged the potential for confusion. “This is a very rare circumstance and we completely understand that this can be a bit confusing for voters,” she told Global News Morning on Saturday. She noted that Elections BC has not experienced this kind of overlap since becoming an independent office in 1995.
Stay connected to every major update — subscribe and follow us on the PhoenixQ website and across our social media platforms.
Some buildings hosted both elections simultaneously. However, staff marked separate voting areas with signs to help voters find the correct location. Hildebrandt confirmed that election officials on site were available to assist anyone who needed guidance.
Voters looking for local election polling stations can find that information on their local government’s website. For provincial voting locations, residents can check their Where to Vote card or use the address lookup tool at elections.bc.ca.
Provincial Advance Voting Runs Until October 21
Provincial advance voting continues through Wednesday, October 21, running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time each day. The provincial election day itself falls on Saturday, October 24.
Voters can use any advance voting location across the province. However, Hildebrandt advised checking the schedule for each site, as not every location opens on every day of the advance voting period.
In the previous provincial election, more than one million people cast advance ballots. While it remains too early to predict whether this election will match that figure, Hildebrandt described advance voting as a convenient option for busy residents. “Anyone that’s out and about on the weekends or has a little bit of spare time, they can pop by any voting location,” she said. “It takes about 10 minutes.”
What Voters Need to Bring
Voters do not need to bring a Where to Vote card to cast a provincial ballot. In addition, eligible voters can register on arrival at any advance voting location.
Voters must bring identification, however. Hildebrandt said two pieces of ID are acceptable, with both showing the voter’s name and at least one also showing their current home address.
Anyone with questions can reach Elections BC directly by calling the agency’s call centre at 1-800-661-8683. “We recognize that this is a very unique situation and that people need to know where to go for each election,” Hildebrandt said. “It’s very exciting and it’s very important that people get out and vote.”
