Record number of ballots cast on first day of advance voting in B.C. election

More than 170,000 British Columbians cast their ballots Thursday in the first day of advanced voting for the 2024 provincial election. The total set a record, beating the previous high by nearly 45,000 votes, according to Elections BC. 

The previous record for votes cast on the first day of advanced voting was 126,491, set during the 2017 election. Thursday's total was 171,381.

NDP Leader David Eby was among those who cast his ballot on the first day of advanced voting, as were 2,000 people in the Vancouver-Point Grey riding he first won in 2013.

Vancouver-Point Grey was far from the riding with the highest number of votes cast Thursday, however. That honour went to Ladysmith-Oceanside on Vancouver Island, where 4,252 ballots were marked.

Thursday's lowest total was seen in Surrey-Serpentine River, where just 593 votes were cast.

With 3,550,017 voters registered in B.C. this provincial election, according to Elections BC, Thursday's turnout represents 4.8 per cent of the total electorate.

Ladysmith-Oceanside's turnout was 8.8 per cent on Thursday, while Surrey-Serpentine River's was just 1.7 per cent.

Voters have five more opportunities to cast their ballots before election day on Oct. 19. Advance polls are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

During the last election, held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, less than 54 per cent of registered voters cast ballots.

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