Early bird voters turn out in their thousands
Posted May 1, 2017 4:17 pm.
Last Updated May 1, 2017 5:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – BC voters flocked by the tens of thousands to the first day of advanced voting, while political parties have kicked their “get out the vote” campaigns into high gear.
Elections BC statistics show 122,067 voters cast their ballots on Saturday, up from approximately 105,000 on the first day of early voting in the 2013 election. On Sunday, 108,967 people voted.
“Turnout was steady over the weekend across the province,” Elections BC’s Andrew Watson says.
Watson points out that early voting started on a weekend, rather than last election when it began on a Wednesday. There are also more advanced voting days, giving people more chances to get out.
Advanced voting, both in real numbers and percentage of voters, has been on the rise, with a 120 per cent increase in the number of people coming out between 1996 and 2013, according to Elections BC numbers.
Political parties are eager to lock down supporters with advanced polls. Door knockers are out in force letting people know where and when they can vote and even asking how they plan to get to the polls.
The final advanced polls will be open May 3, 4, 5 and 6 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. General voting day is Tuesday, May 9th. Check Elections BC for the nearest location.
