Overview
- Preliminary counts show large year-over-year increases in advance ballots, including about 103,810 in Vancouver, roughly 52,600 in Surrey, and double‑digit percentage gains in Victoria, Nanaimo and Saanich.
- Cities expanded advance sites to handle demand, with Vancouver increasing locations from 22 to 59 and Surrey from six to 10, and six Vancouver Island one‑stop locations offered both municipal and provincial ballots on Oct. 17.
- The provincial advance vote opened Oct. 16 and runs through Oct. 21 while municipal general voting day proceeded on Oct. 17, leaving mail‑in and election‑day tallies outstanding.
- Local officials and the Union of B.C. Municipalities criticized NDP leader David Eby’s snap provincial call for creating voter confusion and pulling local campaign staff toward provincial races.
- Election officials and experts warn higher early voting does not automatically mean a matching rise in total turnout and say the final picture will depend on remaining election‑day and mail‑in results.