British Columbians will elect a new provincial government on Saturday, October 24, 2020. While this is the official Election Day, there are options to vote by mail or during advance voting days.
Every eligible member of the UBC community is encouraged to take part in the provincial election.
For the 2020 BC Provincial Election, the province is divided into 87 geographic areas or “electoral districts”, also known as “constituencies” or “ridings”. UBC Vancouver is located in the electoral district of Vancouver—Point Grey and UBC Okanagan is located in the Kelowna—Lake Country electoral district, though members of the UBC community live and work in many different ridings across the province and there are similarly UBC teaching and research sites throughout BC. Each electoral district elects one Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to the BC Legislature in Victoria, and whichever political party has the support of a majority of MLAs forms the government.
- Am I eligible to vote?
- Which electoral district do I live in?
- Do I need to register to vote?
- How do I vote?
- What ID do I need to register and vote?
- What is Elections BC doing to make voting safe during the pandemic?
1. Am I eligible to vote?
To vote, you must:
Further information can be found on Elections BC’s website. If you’re not sure whether you are eligible to vote, contact Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 or electionsbc@elections.bc.ca.
2. Which electoral district do I live in?
Each eligible voter may cast one vote for one candidate in the electoral district in which he or she lives. Many residents of British Columbia live in more than one BC electoral district throughout the year and may choose in which of these electoral districts to vote, provided they show documentation to prove their address.
Because students and other members of the UBC community are drawn to our campuses from communities across British Columbia, many will have a choice regarding the electoral district in which they vote. For example, students who have moved to UBC or surrounding areas in order to study may choose to vote in the electoral district in which they live while studying at UBC, or they may choose to vote in their ‘home’ electoral district elsewhere in BC. In either case, students must show documentation proving their address.
Elections BC provides further information for students and youth.
3. Do I need to register to vote?
Yes, you must be registered in order to vote. However, you can always register at the time you cast your vote, whether you vote in-person or by mail.
Elections BC automatically updates the voter list using a number of sources, so you may already be registered even if you haven’t voted in BC before, or if your name or address has recently changed. If you would like to check whether you are registered to vote or confirm whether your information is up-to-date, call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
If you want to vote in-person but you are not registered to vote or your registration information is out-of-date, you can still register or update your information in-person at a polling station when you go to vote.
If you want to vote by mail but you are not registered to vote or your information in out-of-date, your vote-by-mail package will include instructions on how to register or update your information. You will need to provide photocopies of valid identification.
4. How do I vote?
BC uses a “vote anywhere” model, meaning that although Elections BC will assign you a voting place, you may vote in-person at any voting place.
Any registered BC voter may instead choose to vote by mail – no special reason is needed. Elections BC expects much higher levels of voting by mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is also a great option if you’re eligible to vote in BC but aren’t physically located in the province during the election.
Option 1: Vote by mail
If you are registered to vote, you can request a vote-by-mail package until 4 p.m. on Election Day, October 24, 2020, but it’s best to request one as soon as possible by requesting a vote-by-mail package online or calling Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683. Once requested, your package will be mailed to you.
Alternatively, you you’d prefer to pick up a vote-by-mail package, you can reach out to your nearest district electoral office.
Your vote-by-mail package will come with instructions, but you can also download the instructions here. If you need any help, call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
If you are not registered to vote or your information in out-of-date, your vote-by-mail package will include instructions on how to register or update your information. You will need to provide photocopies of valid identification.
You can return your vote-by-mail package in-person at a district electoral office or any voting place. You may also return your package by mail using the postage paid return envelope that is provided. (If mailing from outside of Canada, you must provide the necessary postage.)
Completed vote-by-mail packages must be received by Elections BC before 8 p.m. (Pacific time) on Saturday, October 24, so don’t wait too long to return it!
Option 2: Vote at any voting place on advance voting days
Any eligible voter can choose to vote in-person on any of the six advance voting days from Thursday, October 15 to Wednesday, October 21 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
All advance voting places and the dates they are open will be posted on Elections BC’s Where to Vote page.
If you’re near UBC Vancouver, advance voting will take place at The Nest.
If you’re near UBC Okanagan, advance voting will take place at the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport.
If you haven’t registered to vote or your information is out of date, you can register or update your information when you go to vote.
Option 3: Vote at any voting place on Election Day
Voting places are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Saturday, October 24, 2020.
Registered voters are assigned a voting place. Although it’s faster and easier to vote at your assigned voting place, you can vote at another voting place if it is more convenient.
All voting places will be posted on Elections BC’s Where to Vote page.
If you’re near UBC Vancouver, your nearest voting place is likely The Nest, University Hill Secondary School, or Norma Rose Point School.
If you’re near UBC Okanagan, your nearest voting place is likely the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport.
If you haven’t registered to vote or your information is out of date, you can register or update your information when you go to vote.
5. What ID do I need to register and vote?
If you are voting by mail, your vote-by-mail package will include instructions on how to register or update your information, and you may need to provide photocopies of valid identification.
If you are registering and/or voting in-person, you must bring proof of your identity and address. There are three ways to do this:
Option 1: Show one piece of government ID that has your photo, name and address.
Examples:
- BC driver’s licence
- BC services card
- Any other ID issued by the BC or Canadian governments with your photo, name and address
Remember: you can vote from anywhere in BC, but the address on your ID must correspond to the electoral district in which your vote will be counted.
Option 2: Show two pieces of ID. Both must have your name and at least one must have your address.
Example combinations:
- UBC student card & utility bill
- Passport & credit card statement
- Birth certificate & residential lease or sub-lease
- Social Insurance Number Card & Letter of Confirmation of Residence (available from your residence if you live on campus)
Electronic documents (e.g. e-bills) and electronic scans of a paper document are acceptable.
Check out the list of accepted ID from Elections BC that can be used to prove your identity and address under Option 2.
Option 3: If you don’t have ID
You can still vote if you go to a polling station, declare your identity and address in writing, and have someone who knows you vouch for you. The person vouching for you must be:
- a registered voter resident in the same electoral district, OR
- your spouse, parent, grandparent, adult child, adult grandchild or adult sibling, OR
- a person with the authority to make personal care decisions for you.
The voucher must be able to prove their identity and address. A person can vouch for only one other person.
6. What is Elections BC doing to make voting safe during the pandemic?
Elections BC is putting in place safety measures so that voters don’t have to choose between safeguarding their health and exercising their right to vote. All voting places and district electoral offices will have protective measures in place, including:
- Physical distancing
- Capacity limits
- Election officials wearing personal protective equipment (such as masks and face-visors)
- Protective barriers
- Hand sanitizing stations
- Frequent cleaning of voting stations and frequently touched surfaces
- Election workers trained on safe workplace guidelines and pandemic protocols
Some familiar voting procedures may be different. For example, you will show your identification without handing it to an election official, and you will make a verbal declaration of your eligibility to vote instead of signing a voting book.
You are welcome to wear a face mask if you wish. You will not be asked to remove your mask to vote. You may also bring your own pencil if you wish.
If you are ill or self-isolating, do not visit a voting place. Request a vote-by-mail package or call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 for assistance.
Check out Elections BC’s Safe Voting Places Plan for more details.
Santa J. Ono
President and Vice-Chancellor