VIDEO – Powell River voters will have three candidates to choose from when they cast their ballots for the provincial election.
The candidate nomination period for BC’s 40th general election closed on Friday, April 26. The three candidates in the Powell River-Sunshine Coast riding are: incumbent New Democrat Nicholas Simons; BC Liberal Patrick Muncaster; and BC Green Party’s Richard Till.
Voting is available at district electoral offices, by mail, at any advance voting place from May 8 to 11 and at any general voting place on Tuesday, May 14.
In Powell River, the district electoral office is located above Westview Bowling and Billiards at 4476A Marine Avenue. The office is open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 4 pm Saturdays.
There are parking spaces behind the building, which can be accessed by turning into an alley off Courtenay Street. “It is a bit of a tricky access to us,” said Deb Lesuk, district electoral officer. “You can get to us through Courtenay Street. It’s the best way to approach us. There’s lots of parking in the back.”
Voters can go to the office to ask for a vote-by-mail package or to cast a ballot, Lesuk explained. “Anybody who is not going to be around can come in right now,” she said. “Just bring some identification with you and you can cast your ballot right now.”
Advance voting is being held at a different location. It takes place from 8 am to 8 pm from Wednesday, May 8 through to Saturday, May 11 at Powell River Town Centre Mall, across from Shoppers’ Drug Mart. While there is access through the mall during regular mall hours, there is also a back door that will be open during those hours, as well as when the mall is closed. It has a wheelchair ramp and an automatic door.
People who have registered with BC Elections will be receiving a where-to-vote card. Voters should bring that card and other identification with them when they cast their ballots, Lesuk said. “That is a very important piece of the advanced voting part and also it can be used as one piece of identification,” she said.
If people have not received a where-to-vote card, they can register in conjunction with casting their ballots, said Jessica Colasanto, deputy district electoral officer. “It doesn’t take too much extra time,” she said.
In order to vote, an individual must be: a Canadian citizen; 18 years of age or older on general voting day; a resident of the electoral district; a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before general voting day.
Acceptable types of identification include: one document issued by the BC government or Canada that contains the voter’s name, photograph and residential address, such as a BC driver’s licence, BC identification card or BC Services card; a certificate of Indian Status; or two documents that contain the voter’s name, at least one of which contains the voter’s residential address.
General voting day is Tuesday, May 14. There will be eight polling places in the community: Powell River Recreation Complex; Cranberry Seniors’ Centre; Westview Baptist Church; École Côte du Soleil; Italian Community Hall; Lund Community Centre; Lang Bay Community Hall; and Texada Island Elementary School.
