Saturday January 26, 2019 ~ NANAIMO [Updated January 29, 2019]
~ West Shore Voice News
[Updated January 29: Total advance turnout over six days — January 22 to 27– was 9,322. Of the total 45,359 registered voters that represents a 20.5% advance voter turnout.]
After four of six days of advance voting in the Nanaimo by-election, so far 5,903 voters have cast their ballots. That tally is for votes cast January 22 to 25 at the various advance poll locations.
That’s 13% of the 45,359 total registered voters, and on the first two days showed a stronger advance voter turnout than occurred during the provincial general election in 2017.
After just the first two days of advance voting Elections BC said that 3,188 people had voted in the by-election so far, compared to the first two days of the 2017 general election, which saw 2,955 advance voters.
Advance voting continues this weekend, on both Saturday January 26 and Sunday January 27. Results from those two days are likely to be available on Monday, January 28.
The results of this by-election could change the power dynamics in the BC Legislative Assembly. The NDP-Green coalition presently holds 43 seats (40 NDP, 3 Green) and the Liberals have 42. If BC Liberal candidate Tony Harris were to win the riding, that would create a 43-43 tie, leaving Speaker Darryl Plecas to cast the deciding vote. Plecas was elected as a BC Liberal but was removed from the party after accepting the position of Speaker. He now sits as an Independent.
The NDP has held the riding for 20 years, winning each time with more than 40% of the vote. Long-time Nanaimo MLA Leonard Krog resigned as MLA late last year after winning the municipal mayoralty race and becoming Nanaimo’s mayor.
BC NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson, who stepped down as MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith to run provincially, has the support of Premier John Horgan and various NDP cabinet ministers who have visited in her riding in recent days and weeks. The well-organized NDP support team is usually effective in getting supportive voters to the polls, as has likely been largely responsible for the strong advance voter turnout this past week.
In addition to visiting one of the various voting stations around Nanaimo, voting may also be done every day to 4pm up to and including General Election Day Wednesday January 30 at the Nanaimo District Electoral Office at 201-65 Front St, Nanaimo.
Time is now short for voting by postal mail. Voting by mail requires requesting a package from https://elections.bc.ca/nan-byelection/#who-can-vote or phoning 1-800-661-8683. Packages must be received by Elections BC by 8pm on January 30, 2019 in order to be considered. Mail-in packages can be sent by ExpressPost.
There are six candidates on the ballot for the January 30, 2019 by-election: Justin Greenwood; Conservative | Tony Harris; BC Liberal Party | Sheila Malcolmson, BC NDP | Michele Ney, BC Green Party | Robin Mark Richardson, The Vancouver Island Party | Bill Walker, Libertarian.
Residents of the Nanaimo electoral district are eligible to vote in the by-election if they are: 18 or older on January 30, 2019; a Canadian citizen, and a resident of BC since July 29, 2018. For more information, including a complete list of advance and general voting places, visit elections.bc.ca/nan-byelection
Other articles:
Premier Horgan calls Nanaimo By-Election