The B.C. election is set for Oct. 24, but it will be weeks after that before final results are known..Anton Boegman, B.C.’s Chief Electoral Officer, told reporters Tuesday an expected huge increase in mail-in ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame..Boegman said election officials are expecting a whopping 40 per cent of voters will use mail in ballots – which by law can’t even be started to be counted until 13 days after the election..He said all regularly cast ballots will be counted first before officials start with the mail-in ones..Each ballot will have to be examined to make sure the voter is registered and make sure that person has not voted in person..Already more than 20,000 people have requested mail-in ballots. That total could hit 800,000..“We will do the counting as quickly as possible,” said Boegman, adding it will likely be three weeks after Oct. 24 until the final results are posted.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .He said as the mail-in ballots are counted, elections officials will update results “live” online..The pandemic is causing all sorts of headaches for officials..Boegman said concerns about getting enough staff have hopefully been answered by having the vote on Saturday. He said students will also be tapped and there will only be one election official per station..Some teachers have also expressed concerned that schools will be used at voting stations..Boegman said holding advance votes and the finally ballot on weekends will leave enough time for proper cleaning before students return on Mondays..B.C.’s chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said health officials have talked to representatives from all parties and laid out the rules for campaigning during a pandemic..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
The B.C. election is set for Oct. 24, but it will be weeks after that before final results are known..Anton Boegman, B.C.’s Chief Electoral Officer, told reporters Tuesday an expected huge increase in mail-in ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame..Boegman said election officials are expecting a whopping 40 per cent of voters will use mail in ballots – which by law can’t even be started to be counted until 13 days after the election..He said all regularly cast ballots will be counted first before officials start with the mail-in ones..Each ballot will have to be examined to make sure the voter is registered and make sure that person has not voted in person..Already more than 20,000 people have requested mail-in ballots. That total could hit 800,000..“We will do the counting as quickly as possible,” said Boegman, adding it will likely be three weeks after Oct. 24 until the final results are posted.. Defying crackdown, hundreds march against lockdowns in Calgary .He said as the mail-in ballots are counted, elections officials will update results “live” online..The pandemic is causing all sorts of headaches for officials..Boegman said concerns about getting enough staff have hopefully been answered by having the vote on Saturday. He said students will also be tapped and there will only be one election official per station..Some teachers have also expressed concerned that schools will be used at voting stations..Boegman said holding advance votes and the finally ballot on weekends will leave enough time for proper cleaning before students return on Mondays..B.C.’s chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said health officials have talked to representatives from all parties and laid out the rules for campaigning during a pandemic..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
