Want to wager a guess as to who is the largest group of registered voters in the October 20th civic election? It’s not homeowners. Nor is it seniors, and not millennials. Not even baby boomers. Sadly, it’s non-voters.
Statistics from previous election years show that in most municipalities in Metro Vancouver, those who skip the polls will outnumber those who show up to vote.
Election administrators have considered different methods to encourage voters to go to the polls. One of the most convenient measures is to allow people to cast their ballot early, through in-person advance voting.
With the option to vote in advance, why wait until Election Day to make your voice heard? You don’t need to be planning an out-of-town trip on October 20th to vote in advance. This is just a great way to make voting more convenient and help accommodate voters’ busy schedules. Let’s not forget, civic elections usually fall on a Saturday and there’s no mandate for employers to give their staff a few hours off to cast a ballot in a civic election, like we see provincially and federally.
So, how can a civic-minded individual take advantage of advance polls? Well, the dates vary across Metro Vancouver, and we’ve outlined the details below for your convenience. So, no excuses! Find out where to vote, and make sure to bring your voter card and one piece of ID.
Local government matters, and your vote makes a difference. So make sure your voice is heard by either voting in advance or get out there with the rest of us on October 20th! For more information on the campaign check out #VoteLocalBC or follow us @local_bc on Twitter.
Advanced Voting Dates in Metro Vancouver
Anmore: October 10
Belcarra: October 10
Bowen Island: October 10
Burnaby: October 6,10 and 13
Coquitlam: October 19
Delta: October 6, 10 and 11
Langley City: October 9-11 and 17
Langley Township: October 10-13 and 15-18
Lions Bay: October 10
Maple Ridge: October 6, 10, 13-14, and 16-18
New Westminster: October 10, 13 and 17
North Vancouver City: October 10, 13, and 16-19
North Vancouver District Municipality: October 10-15
Pitt Meadows: October 12
Port Coquitlam: October 10 and 17
Port Moody: October 10-13
Richmond: October 6, and 10-13
Surrey: October 6, 10-11 and 13
Vancouver: October 10-17
West Vancouver: October 6, 9-12, and 14-15
White Rock: October 10, 11 and 15
As part of VoteLocal’s most recent survey of Metro Vancouver civic election candidates, we asked if local residents have been engaged and interested in talking about the election, and what that might tell us about potential voter turnout.