Across the province, residents having been heading to polling stations since 8 a.m. to elect their representatives in local municipal government.
Within the City of Vancouver, there have been reports on social media of long lines and wait times to cast ballots at numerous stations. Lines have been ranging between 20 minutes to as long as an hour, with some lines winding their way around the city block.
Polling stations in Kitsilano and Sunset neighbourhoods were an hour long at one point while lines in downtown Vancouver and Kerrisdale were between 30 to 45 minutes long.
In some cases, there were even reports of people giving up and leaving the line. However, as of this hour the lines have begun to die down.
The lines today have been significantly longer than the previous civic election held in 2011, which clocked in a voter turnout of 34.57 per cent (144,823 of 418,878 registered voters) – an increase from the 2008 turnout of 30.79 per cent (124,285 of 403,663).
There is speculation that today’s voter turnout could be a record or near-record high for Vancouver, likely due to factors such as fair weather, an immense interest in this year’s civic candidates and issues and greater accessibility to polling stations.
Voters are able to cast their ballots at any of the city’s 120 voting stations; there is no assigned voting station this year as an electronic voters list is being use, allowing residents to vote anywhere regardless of where they live.
Prior to election day, eight advance polls were open for eight days – for 12 hours a day for a total of 768 hours. It was a 280 per cent increase over 2011’s advance polling hours when there were five advance polling stations over a period of four days.
On Thursday, the City of Vancouver indicated that turnout throughout the 2014 advance voting period was 98 per cent higher than in 2011. 38,556 ballots were cast in advance voting, a significant increase from the 19,484 ballots cast in 2011.
Drove past my usual voting place today and there was a line out the door. Is it busy everywhere? #vanelxn #vanpoli
— Stephen Rasku (@StephenRasku) November 15, 2014
I had to wait 30 mins to vote at the Kitsilano voting station. When I got out, the line up went around the block! #vanelxn
— Evelyne Charuest (@MlleEvy) November 15, 2014
.@KerrisdaleCC, voting line-up out the gym door. Almost out the front door. Wait time 25-30 mins, makes me happy to see! #vanpoli #vanelxn
— Philip KC (@philipkc) November 15, 2014
Lineup to vote in south granville is 45 m to 1 hr. People are giving up and leaving the line. #cityvotes2014 #vanelxn
— Christina Newberry (@ckjnewberry) November 15, 2014
Big lineup at my polling station! A line I was happy to stand in #vanelxn #vanpoli pic.twitter.com/HY69F75nsE
— Carrie Gelson (@CarrieGelson) November 15, 2014
Big line up at Kits Community Centre. Quiet at Lord Tennyson school nearby. #vanpoli #vanelxn
— Roth Niven (@rothniven) November 15, 2014
Few things I’m content to line up for… actually, just one. Voting. #vanelxn #vanpoli pic.twitter.com/EcgJUervua
— James Danderfer (@JamesDanderfer) November 15, 2014
@MayorGregor @cbcnewsbc 35+ min wait to vote at St Marks and still a big line. I’ve never seen such a lineup in 35 yrs of voting #vanelxn
— Audrey (@audrey_rain604) November 15, 2014
Waiting in line to vote. A privelege and a pleasure. #vanelxn #vanpoli
— Trilby Smith (@TrilbySmith) November 15, 2014
@VotePromote I just waited in a 30min line to vote. Must mean good things for turnout! #vanelxn #worththewait #BCCivic #promotethevote
— phoebe stewart (@PhbStwrt) November 15, 2014
And they said voter turnout would be abysmal in # Vancouver. I’ve been in line of over half an hour #vanelxn2014
— Things I’d Ask (@ThingsIdAsk) November 15, 2014
Lots of line-ups at polling stations but that’s a good thing, not a bad thing, Vancouver! Be patient, OK? #vanpoli #vanelxn @TurnUpYVR
— Jen Fritz (@jen_fritz) November 15, 2014
Cute kid in a stroller in front of me in line “let’s get out of here!” The rest of the line smiles in sympathy. #vanelxn
— Ian Bryce (@Talesofabryce) November 15, 2014
Long line ups at polling stations. Get out and VOTE! Make them even longer people! We need change! #vanelxn #vanpoli
— Lane Carlito (@SecretCanuck) November 15, 2014
@SussexChuck 711 west Broadway has 45 min wait to #vote #vanelxn2014 #vanelxn #freedemocraticsocietyproblems
— Kate B. Lawrence (@KateBLawrence) November 15, 2014
Whoa, 20 minute wait at West End ctty centre to vote #vanelxn2014
— Frances Bula (@fabulavancouver) November 15, 2014
Waiting in line to vote, amused by this sticker #vanelxn #countmeinyvr @ Mount Pleasant Community… http://t.co/D9AsANTeBa
— Katie Fedosenko (@krfedosenko) November 15, 2014
Not even mad that I’m in a long line waiting to vote. Hope it means lots are voting. #vanpoli #vanelxn #vote
— Anna L. (@annamadlin) November 15, 2014
Waiting in line to vote. A privelege and a pleasure. #vanelxn #vanpoli
— Trilby Smith (@TrilbySmith) November 15, 2014
I <3 voting! Took 15 minutes despite long line-up. No excuses! #bcvotes #vanelxn pic.twitter.com/qdWpijtGP0
— Cath Ennis (@enniscath) November 15, 2014
Feature Image: Vancity Buzz