Election day is Oct. 19 in B.C., and there are many options for voters to cast their ballots in the ridings of Maple Ridge East and Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
The 2020 provincial election, held during the COVID-19 pandemic, had a low voter turnout of 52 per cent of eligible voters.
You can vote if you are a Canadian citizen, 18 or older on election day, and have been a resident of B.C. since April 18, 2024.
Advance voting will take place from Thursday, Oct. 10 to Wednesday, Oct. 16, with the except of the Oct. 14 Thanksgiving holiday. The voting places will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
This option is increasingly popular, and the 2020 election marked the first time more people voted in advance polls than on election day.
In Maple Ridge East, there will be advance voting at Fraserview Village Hall (22610-116 Ave.), and the Maple Ridge Lawn Bowling Club (11445-232 St.) from Oct. 10 to 13, 15 and 16. There will also be advance voting at Mission's Silverdale Elementary School (29715 Donatelli Ave.) on Oct. 12 and 13.
In Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows ,there will be advance voting in three locations: Golden Ears United Church (22165 Dewdney Trunk Rd.), Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall (12460 Harris Rd.) and St. Luke's Roman Catholic Church (20285 Dewdney Trunk Rd.). In all three locations voting will take place from Oct. 10 to 13, 15 and 16.
Advance voting is an option provided to all eligible voters – voters can cast a ballot at any advance voting place in B.C., and all are wheelchair accessible.
Final voting day will be Saturday, Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will have an assigned voting place, but they can vote at another place if it's more convenient. To find a voting place visit wheretovote.elections.bc.ca
In Maple Ridge East, voting will take place at 10 schools in the riding, and Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows voting places include nine schools, churches and community halls.
An option is to vote by mail. Vote-by-mail package requests are available online and by phone until Oct. 13. The package will be mailed, or can be picked up at a district electoral office. In Maple Ridge East that is at 200-22722 Lougheed Highway, and in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows at 20600 Maple Cres. After Oct. 13, voters can still request a vote-by-mail package in person at any district electoral office until 4 p.m. on Oct. 19. Elections BC must receive your completed package before 8 p.m. Oct. 19. Late packages are not counted.
Voters are now able to vote at the electoral offices, or at any electoral office in the province.
Elections BC will deliver Where to Vote cards to registered voters before advancing voting starts on Oct. 10, and voters should bring it when they vote, along with ID.
Voters are entitled to four consecutive hours free from work to vote during advance voting, or on election day. This does not necessarily mean four hours off work, but there must be a four-hour period free from work during voting hours. Time off may be at the beginning or end of an employee’s shift. Normal working hours may already provide enough time free from work to vote – ie. if a shift ends at 4 p.m., or does not begin until noon, the employee is not entitled to any time off for voting purposes. Employers can decide when their employees can take time off to vote.
Voters outside the province can vote through assisted telephone voting, on Oct. 10 and Oct. 19, if they meet eligibility criteria.
For more information, see elections.bc.ca
