Advance voting for the Oct. 24 provincial election is underway

One day after Tri-Cities voters cast ballots in the municipal election, advance voting is underway in another one: British Columbia's snap provincial general election, set for Saturday, Oct. 24. Advance polls run from Oct. 16 to 21, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with voting places across the Tri-Cities and neighbouring ridings.

Eby campaigns in Coquitlam

Premier David Eby marked the first day of advance voting on Oct. 16 with a campaign stop in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, his second visit to the riding in 10 days. At the future site of Burke Mountain Secondary, joined by NDP incumbent and candidate Jodie Wickens and about a dozen supporters including former Coquitlam councillor Neal Nicholson, Eby pledged to bring a middle school to northeastern Coquitlam if re-elected.

Asked by Freshet News whether the NDP is worried about losing the seat, Eby praised Wickens as "an amazing advocate" for the constituency and for children and youth. He spent much of the stop contrasting his government's record with the BC Conservatives, whose leader, Lorne Doerkson, was campaigning in Port Moody the same morning.

With saws buzzing at the school construction site, Eby said a re-elected NDP government would deliver on new schools and healthcare, saying the party has built or expanded 250 schools since 2017. He also took credit for freezing auto insurance rates for three years, and criticized the Opposition over some of its candidates and staff.

Speaking on the eve of the municipal election, Eby defended the snap call, saying the BC Conservatives tried to collapse the government 13 times given the slim NDP majority. "It wasn't working," he told reporters. "I need a strong mandate."

Where to vote early in the Tri-Cities

Advance voting runs Oct. 16 to 21, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; confirm locations and dates with Elections BC before heading out. Advance voting places in local ridings include:

• Coquitlam-Burke Mountain: Douglas College Coquitlam campus, Smiling Creek Elementary, Glen Elementary
• Coquitlam-Maillardville: Poirier library branch, Our Lady of Lourdes church
• New West-Coquitlam: Riverbend Housing Co-op, Royal Westminster Regiment Armoury, Sapperton Hall
• Port Coquitlam: Pitt River Middle, Terry Fox Secondary
• Port Moody-Burquitlam: Coquitlam Presbyterian Church, Klahanie Canoe Club

Neighbouring ridings also have multiple advance polls, including Deer Lake United Church and Wesburn Community Centre in Burnaby Centre, and the New West Lawn Bowling Club in Burnaby-New West.

Two elections, two weeks

The provincial vote lands one week after the Oct. 17 municipal election, making this an unusually busy democratic season in the Tri-Cities. Municipal ballots decide mayors, councillors, and school trustees; the provincial vote decides who governs in Victoria. Voters who missed municipal advance polls can still vote on general voting day, and provincial voters have the full advance window plus Oct. 24.

How advance voting works

Any eligible voter can vote at any advance voting place in the province, not only the ones in their home riding, which makes the advance window especially useful for Tri-Cities residents who work across the river or study away from home. Bring identification: one piece of government-issued photo ID with your address, or two documents that together show your name and address. Voters can also register or update their registration at the poll.

The advance window is often the calmest time to vote. Lines on general voting day, Oct. 24, tend to peak before work, at lunch, and in the final two hours; advance polls are typically quieter, and the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours cover both commuters and families. Students, shift workers, and anyone travelling on Oct. 24 should treat the advance window as their primary option.

The local races

The Tri-Cities and its neighbours send members from five provincial ridings to Victoria, and most are competitive. Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, where Eby campaigned Friday, is held by the NDP's Jodie Wickens, and the premier's two visits in ten days signal how hard both parties are working it. Coquitlam-Maillardville, New West-Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody-Burquitlam round out the local map, with boundary lines that knit the Tri-Cities into Burnaby and New Westminster ridings as well. With a snap election and a slim majority on the line, local seats are getting province-wide attention.

After the advance window

Voters who miss the Oct. 16 to 21 advance window can still vote on general voting day, Saturday, Oct. 24, or request a mail-in ballot through Elections BC within its deadlines. Results in close ridings may not be final on election night, since mail-in and absentee ballots are counted later. Whatever the outcome, the Tri-Cities will have completed two full elections in eight days, an unusual civic marathon for local voters.

* Cover photo: Samsmachado, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0