1. You and B.C.’s Democracy: Share your voice
Keith Archer, Chief Electoral Officer
November 15, 2018

2. Who we are
The independent, non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for administering electoral processes in B.C. under the Election Act, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, Recall and Initiative Act and Referendum Act.
November 15, 2018

3. What we do Administer provincial electoral events
Administer local elections campaign financing and advertising rules
Administer other events, panels, commissions
Recommend changes to legislation
November 15, 2018

4. Fixed-date provincial general elections
General Voting Day is every four years on the second Tuesday in May
Fixed-date local general elections
Financing provisions
On-demand events
Provincial by-elections
Initiative petitions and votes
Recall petitions
Referenda
Plebiscites
Financing provisions for local by-elections and assent voting
Events that we deliver
Did you know?
B.C. was the first province in Canada to introduce fixed dates for provincial elections?
November 15, 2018

5. Share Your Voice
Your voice is important in our democracy. You can have an impact.
As an electoral agency, we are committed to removing administrative barriers to participation – we are working to get the word out, to ensure there are lots of opportunities to vote, and that the actual voting process is accessible, efficient and inclusive.
Please vote in the next election and please spread the message that voting is easy and important.
November 15, 2018

6. 4.7 million people Population of B.C. November 15, 2018
As of 2015, there were 4.7 million people living in B.C.
November 15, 2018

7. 3.4 million eligible voters
Not everyone in the province is eligible to vote.
You must be a Canadian citizen and 18 years of age or older.
And, you must have lived in B.C. for the past six months.
November 15, 2018

8. 3.2 million registered voters
A very high proportion of eligible voters are registered on the voters list.
3.2 million / 3.4 million is 94%
One challenge we have is that people move regularly and don’t necessarily update their registration. This means we may have someone on the list, but at their previous address.
November 15, 2018

9. 57 percent of registered voters voted in 2013
1.8 million voters in 2013
In the 2013 election, 57% of registered voters voted.
November 15, 2018

10. 72% 71% 62% 55% 57% Participation in provincial elections is declining
1996
71%
2001
Did you know?
Participation in provincial general elections is declining
62%
2005
55%
And turnout has been declining over time…
As a percentage of registered voters, the rate has gone down from 72% in 1996 to 57% in the most recent GE, 2013.
2009
57%
2013
Percentage of registered voters who voted
November 15, 2018

11. Young voters are less likely to participate than older voters
Participation
48%
18-24
40%
25-34
49%
Did you know?
Young voters are less likely to vote than older voters
35-44
58%
45-54
69%
55+
Percentage of registered voters who voted in 2013
November 15, 2018

12. Share your voice November 15, 2018
Through its advertising campaigns and other outreach activities, Elections BC is working to encourage youth to become engaged and participate in democracy.
We are also targeting some of our messaging to those who are “too busy” to vote. Our surveys of non-voters suggest that about a third of non-voters do not vote because they are busy dealing with work and family.
About 16 percent of non-voters say they didn’t vote because it’s inconvenient. We want to dispel that myth and will spend the remainder of the presentation letting you know how easy it is to vote in B.C.
November 15, 2018

13. Register now elections.bc.ca 1-800-661-8683 November 15, 2018
Registration campaign has two elements – universal and targeted.
Universal approach: We write to every household in BC, advising who is on the voters list, and ask recipients to contact us if information is incorrect. Letters begin going out Tuesday Feb 14.
Targeted approach: We had our DEOs prepare a profile of their electoral district to identify community characteristics. First Nations reserves, post-secondary institutions, ethnic community groups, high mobility areas, and the like. They then developed a registration strategy based on their community’s characteristics, including an outreach campaign for the period March 7 – 24. Contact all First Nations communities about their preferred approach.
November 15, 2018

14. 2017 Provincial General Election
November 15, 2018

15. Provincial General Election 2017
An election to choose our representatives in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Provincial General Election 2017
One candidate elected from each district
87 Districts
Did you know?
The candidate with the most votes in a district is elected
87 MLAs
Writs of election scheduled to be issued on April 11, 2017
87 electoral districts, 87 separate elections
Nominations close on April 18, 2017
Advance voting is April 29-30, May 3-6
General Voting Day is May 9
Candidate with most votes is declared elected and becomes the MLA for the district
November 15, 2018

16. Provincial General Election 2017
Vote
Provincial General Election 2017
You are eligible to vote if you are:
A Canadian citizen
18 years of age or older
a resident of B.C. for six months
November 15, 2018

17. Provincial General Election 2017
Voting opportunities
Provincial General Election 2017
District office
By mail
Did you know?
There are opportunities to vote from April 11 to May 9
Special voting
Hospitals / care facilities
Advance voting
April 29/30
May 3-6
Opportunities to vote in the 89 district offices established throughout the province are available through the entire election period, from April 11 to May 9 at 4 p.m.
Vote by mail packages must be received by the close of voting at 8 p.m. on May 9.
Elections BC sends mobile teams to administer voting to people who cannot get to a voting place – this is called special voting
There are now six days of advance voting – Saturday and Sunday – April 29 and 30, and Wednesday to Saturday, May Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. All advance voting locations are wheel chair accessible.
General Voting Day is May 9 and this is the day when most of the voters in B.C. will cast their ballots
You must be registered to vote
BC has the most generous opportunities to vote in Canada
In the 2017 General Election, opportunities to vote will be available every day from April 11 to May 9
Voting procedures may differ depending on when and where you vote, but every vote counts!
General Voting Day
GVD
April 11
May 9
November 15, 2018

18. Provincial General Election 2017
Identification
Provincial General Election 2017
You will need to show identification to prove your identity and your residential address when you vote
Here are your options:
One government-issued document that shows your name, residential address and photograph.
Examples: B.C. driver’s licence, B.C. Identification Card, B.C. Services Card
A Certificate of Indian Status issued by the Government of Canada
Two pieces of ID that together show your name and residential address.
Examples: health card, birth certificate, utility bill, Where to Vote card, bank card, tuition fee statement, etc.
Did you know?
If you can’t provide acceptable ID, a registered voter can vouch for you.
Vouching is also possible for those without acceptable identification
The voucher must be one of the following:
a registered voter resident in the voter’s electoral district
a spouse, parent, grandparent, adult child, adult grandchild or adult sibling of the voter
a person with the authority to make personal care decisions for the voter
All vouchers must provide acceptable identification. Both the voter and the voucher must each make a solemn declaration as to the voter’s identity and place of residence.
November 15, 2018

19. Provincial General Election 2017
Where to Vote cards
Provincial General Election 2017
Bring your Where to Vote card with you when you vote
Did you know?
You will spend less time voting if you bring your Where to Vote card
How does the WTV card speed up voting?
Where technology is used, a scan of the WTV card will bring your voter record up on the screen quickly
Where technology is not used, the card will let the election official know that you are registered and where they can find you on the voters list
The card proves your residential address, so you just need another piece of identification showing your name (e.g., CareCard or library card)
Everyone who registers by April 11, 2017 will receive a Where to Vote card in the mail
The Where to Vote card
is a piece of identification to prove your residential address
provides valuable information about options for where and when to vote in your community
will speed up the voting process for you
Find voting place locations in April 2017
online at elections.bc.ca
type in your address and find out what voting opportunities are nearby
Where to Vote cards sent to every registered voter in April
notices sent to addresses with no registered voters in April
in community newspapers
November 15, 2018

20. jobs@elections.bc.ca elections.bc.ca/jobs
November 15, 2018