Wednesday, November 7 ~ BC. Completed ballots for the purpose of voting in the Proportional Representation Referendum are being received by Elections BC.
Ballots first were available October 22 (mailed to every BC voter household over a series of days) and can be submitted up until 4:30 pm on Friday, November 30, 2018.
As of today Wednesday November 7, Elections BC has received 47,054 ballot packages. That’s just 1.4% of the 3,290,810 eligible voter ballots.
There will be a televised debate about Proportional Representation on Thursday, November 8 at 7 pm on CBC and Global (both TV and online). Many voters may be waiting to hear what’s said in that debate between Premier John Horgan and Opposition Leader Andrew Wilkinson. Horgan will debate in favour of reform, while Wilkinson will make the case for keeping the current system. BC Green Leader Andrew Weaver, who supports proportional representation, is not participating in the debate.
Each ballot — while not identified with any specific voter information — does have an electoral area identifier in the top right corner.
The top three electoral areas for ballot return count so far are all on Vancouver Island: Courtenay-Comox (2,853 ballots / 6.4%), North Island (2,260 ballots / 5.3%), and Nanaimo-North Cowichan (2,205 ballots / 5.1%). Ridings in the Vancouver, Prince George and Richmond area are also showing strong returns.
From Premier John Horgan’s riding of Langford Juan de Fuca only eight ballots have been received (0.0%). From ridings of NDP cabinet ministers there are also small return numbers so far. From Finance Minister Carole James’ riding of Victoria-Beacon Hill there are 11 ballots (0.0%) and from Education Minister Rob Fleming’s riding of Victoria-Swan Lake there are seven ballots returned (0.0%).
Other island ballot-return tallies so far: Saanich South (6 ballots / 0.0%), Saanich North and the Islands (11 ballots / 0.0%), Esquimalt-Metchosin (42 ballots / 0.1%), Parksville-Qualicum (1,233 ballots / 2.6%), Cowichan Valley (1,547 ballots / 3.3%), Mid Island-Pacific Rim (1,679 ballots, 4.0%), Nanaimo (1,969 ballots / 4.4%), Nanaimo-North Cowichan (2,205 ballots / 5.1%), Courtenay-Comox (2,853 ballots / 6.4%).
Ballots are to be sent in by postal mail using the supplied postage-paid envelope. Allow time for ballots to arrive at Elections BC by 4:30 pm on Friday, November 30.
Ballots may also be taken directly to any Service BC Centre or Referendum Service Office up to 4:30 pm on Friday November 30. In the Victoria area that includes 100-1112 Fort St (open Monday to Friday up to November 30, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) and also at 403-771 Vernon Ave in Gateway Village in Saanich (open Monday to Friday up to November 30, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm).