With less than 24 hours to go until voters in Nanaimo head to the polls in a byelection that could alter the balance of power in B.C., the candidates and their teams were working around the clock Tuesday to drive home key campaign messages.

The Liberal, NDP and Green candidates in the harbour city all agreed that housing affordability is the top issue facing Nanaimo and added that many residents are struggling financially.

"Every doorstep—we've heard affordable housing and health care," said the NDP's Sheila Malcolmson. "The doors I open with young parents with a kid on their hip, they talk about how much our child care investments have made a difference in their lives."

Liberal Tony Harris added that "everybody in Nanaimo is concerned about better employment options, health care, housing and of course our homelessness crisis."

"The second issue we are finding is transportation for people in Nanaimo," said Green candidate Michele Ney.

Some residents say they're disappointed with the recent handling of a tent city that popped up in the city.

"What the NDP is doing two doors from where we live—not good," said one resident.

The NDP's Leonard Krog vacated his seat back in November to become the mayor of Nanaimo, triggering a byelection that will test the party's slim minority in Victoria.

There are about 40,000 registered voters in Nanaimo, and while turnout tends to be low during provincial byelections, whoever does show up to the polls Wednesday is going to have a lot of say in the future of the NDP's fragile minority.

There are currently 42 Liberals, 40 New Democrats, three Greens and one independent in the legislature.

A Liberal victory in the byelection would give the party 43 seats, tying it with the 43 seats held by the NDP and Greens, which signed an agreement following the 2017 provincial election that allowed the NDP to form a minority government.

And a tie in the legislature would likely send all British Columbians back to the polls for a provincial election sooner than later.

"It's kind of delightful," one resident told CTV. "Normally we don't have that much power and it's good to have the chance to actually make your vote count."

More than 20 per cent—or about 9,000—registered voters cast their ballots in advance polls last week.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan