Advance voting begins for the British Columbia provincial election on Oct. 19

VICTORIA – 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

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – A federal inquiry into interference in Canada’s affairs is slated to hear today from Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.

Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino is also scheduled to testify at the commission of inquiry.

Officials from Joly’s department, Global Affairs Canada, appeared late last week.

The inquiry’s latest hearings are focusing on the ability of agencies to detect and counter foreign meddling.

Once the hearings conclude, there will be a week of policy sessions to help identify recommendations.

A final report is due by the end of the year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – A federal inquiry into interference in Canada’s affairs is slated to hear today from Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.

Former public safety minister Marco Mendicino is also scheduled to testify at the commission of inquiry.

Officials from Joly’s department, Global Affairs Canada, appeared late last week.

The inquiry’s latest hearings are focusing on the ability of agencies to detect and counter foreign meddling.

Once the hearings conclude, there will be a week of policy sessions to help identify recommendations.

A final report is due by the end of the year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.