Advance Voting Begins for the British Columbia Provincial Election on Oct. 19

A sample voter card being used to demonstrate the voting process as it's inserted into a new electronic tabulator that people can expect to see in most voting areas during this year's provincial election during a press conference at the Elections BC office in Victoria, B.C., on Sept. 25, 2024. The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito

Keen voters in British Columbia’s provincial election can start casting ballots at hundreds of advance voting locations today.

Elections BC says there are 343 advance voting places, although not all will open every day for the two advance voting periods, which run from today until Oct. 13, then on Oct. 15 and 16.

Polls suggest a tight race between David Eby’s NDP and John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives, and advance voting has played an increasing role in previous elections.

Numbers provided by Elections BC show that 35 per cent of ballots cast in the 2020 pandemic election came from advance voting, up from 30 per cent in 2017 and 20 per cent in 2013.

This year’s paper ballots will be collected by electronic tabulators and almost all of them are expected to be officially counted on the Oct. 19 election day.

Elections BC says advance voting places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and voters can find the most convenient location on their “where-to-vote” cards.

A complete list of locations and the dates they are open is available online.