Elections BC says 160,000 voters ask for mail-in ballots amid COVID-19 pandemic

Elections BC says 160,000 people have requested mail-in ballots for the October 24 provincial election.

BC’s chief electoral officer said earlier this week that he expected as much as 40% of the ballots cast in the election to be sent in the mail.

Anton Boegman said only about 1% of voters usually vote by mail, but COVID-19 makes this election different.

Elections BC says the vote-by-mail packages sent out don’t represent the ballots that will be considered for counting because voters may not return their package or get it in on time.

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The mail-in ballots won’t be counted for 13 days after the election and Boegman said the results could take another five days to calculate.

Elections BC says all COVID-19 safety precautions would be taken for voters, both on election day and during seven days of advanced polls from October 15 to October 21.