B.C. voters who haven't received a ballot for the harmonized sales tax referendum have less than 24 hours to request one.
Those who have lost or damaged their ballots can also request a new voting package by phoning the Elections BC call centre at 1-800-661-8683 by midnight Friday.
Calls take three to five minutes for voters to register and update their voter record. Elections BC promises any calls dialed before midnight, including those put on hold in a queue, will be processed.
Maurine Karagianis, the New Democrat MLA for Esquimalt-Royal Roads, says complaints about trouble reaching the call centre have been coming in from across the province.
She sent a letter to Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James, urging him to assure any issues are remedied. "If not resolved promptly, this problem could lower voter turnout and stifle democracy," Karagianis said.
Call centre hours were extended to 10 p.m. Thursday in an attempt to accommodate a potential influx of requests, and are scheduled to remain open until the ballot request deadline Friday night.
Completed ballots must be received by Elections BC before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5.
The deadline was extended two weeks past the original date of July 22 after a labour dispute at Canada Post had voting packages piling up at post offices last month.
Since the postal service disruption, several residents have complained about not receiving ballots, and in some cases receiving ballots for dead relatives or past tenants.
