In case you weren’t among the record number of British Columbian voters who cast their ballots in the advance poll, don’t worry.
You still have all day Saturday to get to your polling station and exercise your right to vote.
Polls in all 93 ridings across the province will be open Saturday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
The advance poll wrapped up Wednesday and a record 1,001,331 votes were recorded over the six advance poll days. That's 28 per cent of the 3,550,017 registered BC voters as of Oct. 7.
That eclipsed the former advance poll record of 670,000 in 2020 during the pandemic, which represented 19 per cent of eligible voters.
For this year, Prince George-Mackenzie voters cast 8,711 ballots out of a field of 30,782 registered voters. Prince George-North Cariboo totaled 8,324 advance votes (33,055) and the total for Prince George-Valemount was 6,378 (30,095).
In BC Conservative leader John Rustad’s Nechako Lake riding there were 5,399 advance votes (17,963).
A close race is expected and that could add up to a larger total turnout than the 54 per cent of eligible voters who voted in 2020 or the 61 per cent who cast ballots in 2017.
The final Ipsos-BC Global poll of 1,330 participants surveyed across the province showed the NDP with a slight edge in decided voters (44 per cent), just ahead of the BC Conservatives (42 per cent), while the Green Party ranks third (11 per cent).
The NDP had a 12-point lead in Metro Vancouver and was ahead in the survey by 13 points in Vancouver Island.
But in the Southern Interior/Northern BC the Conservatives got the nod with 55 per cent well ahead of the NDP (31 per cent) and the Greens (12 per cent).
Incumbents
Of the three local ridings, Prince George-North Cariboo (formerly known as Cariboo North) is the only electoral district with an incumbent choice in Saturday’s election.
Coralee Oakes was first elected Cariboo North MLA in 2013 and also won her seat in 2017 and 2020, when she was affiliated with the BC Liberals/BC United.
Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris also won three consecutive terms with the BC Liberals/BC United but has chosen not to run in 2024.
Shirley Bond, elected for six terms with the BC Liberals in Prince George-Valemount, also declined to run in 2024 after BC United leader Kevin Falcon suspended his party’s campaign and pulled out of the election race on Aug. 28.
Prince George-Mackenzie candidates
- NDP: Shar McCrory
- Conservative: Kiel Giddens
- Green: James Steidle
- Independent: Rachael Weber
Prince George-North Cariboo candidates
- Independent: Coralee Oakes (incumbent)
- NDP: Denice Bardua
- Conservative: Sheldon Clare
- Green: Randy Thompson
Prince George-Valemount candidates
- NDP: Clay Pountney
- Conservative: Rosalyn Bird
- Green: Gwen Johansson
Where to vote
Registered voters who received Where To Vote cards in the mail have been assigned specific voting places, but you can vote at another station if it is more convenient.
Prince George-Valemount
- District electoral office – 770 Brunswick St.
- PG Conference and Civic Centre - 808 Canada Games Way
- Str. Mary’s School – 1088 Gillett St.
- First Baptist Church – 483 Gillett St.
- Van Bien Elementary School – 311 Wilson Cres.
- Prince George Secondary School – 2901 Griffiths Pl.
- Westwood Elementary School – 2633 Vanier Dr.
- John McInnis Centre – 3400 Westwood Dr.
- AiMHi – 950 Kerry St.
- College Heights Baptist Church – 5401 Moriarty Cres.
- Pineview Elementary School – 8515 Old Cariboo Highway
- Blackburn Elementary School – 2222 Blackburn Rd. S.
- Trinity United Church – 3555 Fifth Ave.
- Pinewood Elementary School – 4140 Campbell Ave.
- Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Hall – 5645 Buckhorn Lake Rd.
- Ferndale Tabor Volunteer Fire Hall – 16315 Giscome Rd.
Prince George-Mackenzie
- Beaverly Elementary School – 9777 Western Rd.
- D.P. Todd Secondary School – 4444 Hill Ave.
- Edgewood Elementary School – 4440 Craig Dr.
- Miworth Community Hall – 13510 Flint Rd.
- Hart Pioneer Centre – 6986 John Hart Highway
- District Electoral Office – 4900 West Austin Rd.
- Heather Park Elementary School – 7151 Heather Park Rd.
Prince George-North Cariboo
- Vanway Elementary School – 4509 Highway 16 W.
- Best Western Plus – 3387 Highway 16 W.
- Southridge Elementary School – 7300 Southridge Ave.
