Voting for Canada’s 44th federal election underway

Sep 20, 2021 | 5:00 AM

Canadians are going to the polls today in the country’s second federal election in just under two years.

The polls for the 44th general election are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m in B.C., and while the voting will end tonight, the results in certain ridings, and the federal picture, may not be known for several days.

“We won’t have the final results on voting night because of all the mail-in ballots. The counting for that starts the next day,” said North Okanagan-Shuswap Elections Canada returning officer Sharon Morrison.

About 5,000 mail-in ballots were requested in the riding which Morrison estimates could take a couple of days to count.

Morrison has some general advice for people going to vote today.

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“There are two things. The first is do not go right at 7 a.m. when the polls open because many people tend to go right at the beginning and that’s when the lines are longer. It seems to generally be the slowest in the early afternoon and around supper time, but people always go before work, after work or over lunch. That’s the main times it gets busy,” Morrison advised.

Another bit of important information is you have to vote at the place listed on your voting card.

“You can not go somewhere else to vote,” cautioned Morrison.

Click here to get more information on voting from Elections Canada.

The Schubert Centre, Kal Tire Place and the Priest Valley Gym are the three largest polling stations in Greater Vernon, but among the other voting sites are six local schools and at four churches.

There are 250 voting stations in the riding.

“If they are not sure [where they vote], they can phone [the Elections Canada] office and we can direct them where to vote (1-866-546-7604). There will also be registration at the polls, but it will be 100 times faster if they take their voting card,” Morrison said

Voters are also asked to bring their ID, and to wear a mask, with one provided to anyone who doesn’t bring one.

Lineups outside Schubert Centre in Vernon for advance poll. (File photo/Vernon Matters)

Elections Canada said 28,925 people voted in the four days of advance voting in the North-Okanagan Shuswap riding Sept.10-13, which was more than 8,000 more than in the 2019 election, when there was 20,302. The eligible voter total in the riding is 110,729.

The Kelowna-Lake Country riding saw 25,947 advance voters, up from the 18,069 in 2019. Total eligible voters is 104,558.

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola had 25,953 advance voters, higher than the 20,469 two years ago. Total eligible amounts to 99,631.

Nationally, about 5.8 million voters cast their ballots between last Friday and Monday — an 18 per cent increase over the 2019 election.

There are five candidates in North Okanagan-Shuswap, five in Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola and five in Kelowna-Lake Country.

The last federal election was held on Oct. 21, 2019 when Justin Trudeau`s Liberals won 157 seats for a minority government.

At dissolution of parliament, the Liberals had 155 seats, the Conservatives had 120, the Bloc Quebecois had 32, the NDP 24, and the Greens had two.

RELATED: North Okanagan-Shuswap candidate profiles:

Mel Arnold Conservatives

Kyle Delfing People’s Party

Shelley Desautels Liberal

Andrea Gunner Green Party

Ron Johnston NDP