Starting today, Richmond voters can opt to vote early in the upcoming federal election.
Advance polls opened Friday morning and will stretch over four days, until Monday, Sept. 13. The polls are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Advance poll locations for Richmond’s two ridings can be found on residents’ voter information cards which arrived in the mail, or online at elections.ca.
However, things are “going to look different” at some voting locations this election, according to Elections Canada.
“You’re probably going to be going to an unfamiliar place,” said Andrea Marantz, B.C. spokesperson for Elections Canada.
“In most places across the country, there are fewer polling locations than in past elections – and this is really because the requirements during the pandemic are different,” she said.
Across the country, there are roughly six per cent fewer polling stations than in the 2019 federal election, according to Elections Canada data. Furthermore, in the biggest polling station gap in B.C., residents of Richmond Centre have 42 per cent fewer locations to vote this time around compared to last election cycle, while in North Vancouver, the number of places to vote dropped 36 per cent compared to the 2019 election.
“A lot of the polling places that we’ve used, where they are small, but close to where people live, they’re just not suitable in the pandemic election. We need bigger locations, we need to provide space for social distancing.”
This means that some of the schools typically used as voting locations just weren’t suitable, she explained, and preference was given to schools that had a separate entrance into the gym and Elections Canada would then see if those schools were available.
“So, what electors will find are fewer, but larger locations, with more polls per location. That means that we should be able to get electors in and out in about the same time as we have in past elections,” said Marantz.
She said the Minoru Centre for Active Living – which is being used as a poll location during advanced voting and on Election Day – is a “good example” of the kind of building needed, in terms of space and access.
There’s also no on-campus voting at colleges and universities this election, as a snap election meant Elections Canada staff don’t have enough time to set up and process the special ballots cast by people voting outside of their riding.
Elections Canada is also still recruiting staff for Election Day – advance polls are fully functional, said Marantz.
She added that the number of people needed is “constantly changing” as more people are hired and some drop out.
Meanwhile, those who wish to vote by mail have until Tuesday, Sept. 14 to apply.
Voters can apply to vote by mail either online or at their elections office. Identification is needed and will have to be scanned and attached if applying online.
The “Vote by Mail” button is on the Elections.ca home page.
The ballot will be sent in the mail with a pre-paid envelope, or can be dropped off on Election Day – not on advance polling days – at voting stations.
- With a file from Stefan Labbe, Glacier Media
The Richmond News is hosting an all candidates Zoom debate with Steveston-Richmond East candidates on Monday, Sept. 13. While the debate won't be live-streamed, it will be recorded and posted online. The Richmond Centre all candidates debate can be found here.
