B.C. election makes history despite record low turnout

Nov 20, 2020 | 12:00 PM

The Oct. 24 B.C. election was historic in at least two aspects.

Elections B.C. said a record number of vote-by-mail packages were received, and it was the first B.C. election in which more people voted before election day than on election day.

In total, 1,900,353 people voted in the election. While this was 86,021 fewer than in the 2017 provincial election, when 1,986,374 voters cast a ballot, it was the second highest total in B.C. electoral history.

The estimated voter turnout (not finalized) was 54.5 per cent, up from the earlier 52.4 per cent.

“The updated estimate is based on the number of registered voters at the close of general voter registration on September 26, and the number of valid votes and rejected ballots cast at all voting opportunities,” a news release from Elections B.C. said.

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(Graphic credit: Elections B.C.)

The Canadian Press said the 2020 turnout, if it remains the same, would be an all-time low with statistics from Elections BC going back to 1928 showing the previous lowest voter turnout was 55.14 per cent in the 2009 provincial election.

A record 724,279 voters requested vote-by-mail packages in 2020, a massive increase from past provincial elections. A total of 596,287 voters returned their package by the close of voting, representing a return rate of 82.3 per cent. This return rate does not account for voters who requested a vote-by-mail package but decided to vote in person. This figure is still being determined, and will be reported on in the Chief Electoral Officer’s report for the election (to be published in 2021). In the 2017 provincial election only 6,517 voters voted by mail, representing 57.8 per cent of packages issued for that election.

The table below shows the percentage of votes that were cast at each type of voting opportunity in 2020 compared with 2017:

Voting opportunity	Percentage of total votes cast in 2020	Percentage of total votes cast in 2017
Advance voting	35.4%	30.2%
Voting by mail	31.4%	0.3%
Absentee voting	4.4%	8.7%
Voting on Election Day	28.8%	60.8%

As voters in B.C. can register when they vote, the number of registered voters on election day will not be known until post-election processing is complete. Once this figure is known Elections B.C. will report the final turnout rate for 2020.

For interim voting results by voting area (or “poll by poll results”) see the data file at the link below. The final Statement of Votes for the election will be available in the Chief Electoral Officer’s election report.

· Interim Statement of Votes – Voting Results by Voting Area (Excel)

· Voter Turnout in the 2020 Provincial General Election Infographic (PDF)

by Pete McIntyre

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