What you need to know ahead of voting day in B.C.
Important dates and info about voting in British Columbia's 2024 election
The 2024 British Columbia election is on the horizon after some big changes in provincial politics.
On Aug. 28, B.C. United, formerly the B.C. Liberal Party, announced it was suspending its campaign, and leader Kevin Falcon offered his support to the B.C. Conservatives, a party that has gained significant traction since John Rustad was acclaimed as its leader in March 2023.
Earlier this year, six new electoral districts were created, and the boundaries for 72 others changed.
Another change to voting in B.C. includes the use of laptops instead of paper lists for voting, which Elections B.C. says will speed up the voting process.
We've compiled a list of key information and dates to help voters plan ahead.
When does the election campaign begin?
Technically, the pre-campaign period began back in July. The official election campaign began Sept. 21, when the writ dropped.
An order by the lieutenant-governor directs the chief electoral officer to issue a writ, which is a formal written order to call an election.
How do I register to vote?
You can register or update your voter information online, by mail or fax or by phone at 1-800-661-8683. Voters can also do this in person at the Elections B.C. office in Victoria or at one of many registration drives across the province.
You will need either your B.C. driver's licence number, your ID card number, the last six digits of your social insurance number or the last six digits of your personal health number.
Online and telephone voter registration closes on Oct. 7.
How do I figure out my riding?
B.C.'s riding system has changed since the last provincial election. Electoral district maps for the 2024 election are available here, and you can type your address in to figure out which riding you're in here.
Who are the candidates in my riding?
Candidate nominations close on Sept. 28, so the official list will be finalized after that date. Until then, you can get a tentative list of candidates here.
Each major party is keeping an updated list of candidates on their websites:
Where can I learn about provincial political parties?
A list of registered political parties can be found here. Each major provincial party is expected to share their platform online ahead of voting day.
CBC News will share more information about each party's policies in advance of voting day here.
A live debate between the three major party leaders is also slated for Oct. 8. CBC will carry the debate live on TV, CBC Radio One, YouTube, TikTok, CBC Gem and CBC News B.C., the 24/7 streaming channel.
When is voting day?
British Columbians are scheduled to head to the polls on Oct. 19. However, advance voting is slated for Oct. 10-13, 15 and 16.
Voters can also vote by mail. You can request a mail-in voting package here, and Elections B.C. will start mailing those out to people who are in the province on Sept. 16. The elections office has already begun mailing them out to people who are eligible to vote in B.C. but are not in the province.
Where do I vote?
For those voting in person, multiple voting stations will be set up in each riding. For those planning to participate in advance voting, you can check this list of voting stations. Anyone who wants to vote on election day can choose the most convenient voting station on this list.
How will I know who won?
News outlets, including CBC News, will be actively watching and calling winners in each riding. Tune into CBC TV or CBC Radio, stream our news special online and get updates at cbc.ca/bc.
Clarifications
- This story has been updated to clarify what happens when a writ is dropped.Sep 19, 2024 2:20 PM PT
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