Op-ed: Register now to make voting easy, says Elections BC Chief
By Harry Neufeld
It’s time to get on the list.
If you want to vote on May 12 and have your say in the future of the province, now’s the time to take the first step and register to vote.
Excuse me if I’m preaching to the choir. More than 75% of eligible voters in B.C. are already registered at the correct address, according to statistics we’ve compiled at Elections BC.
It’s that last 25% I’m concerned about. They’re the ones who still haven’t registered or may be registered incorrectly at the address where they used to live.
We’ve done our best to reach out to every eligible voter by sending enumeration notices to two million households across the province. But we have to do better, especially in the 21 electoral districts spread across much of the province that lag behind in voter registration, where as few as half the eligible voters are accurately registered.
That’s why I’m encouraging you to get on the list. Maybe you didn’t receive your enumeration notice, maybe you’ve moved recently, or perhaps you’ve only recently reached the voting age of 18. Or maybe you’re too busy with other issues like earning a living or taking care of your family.
Maybe you don’t know how easy it is to register to vote. You may be worried about finding the time or a parking space, facing line-ups or filling in complicated paper forms. Forget that. The reality is you can register in a few minutes by going online at elections.bc.ca or by calling 1-800-661-8683, where our operators can register you over the phone. Please do it now.
Once you’re registered, voting will be a breeze. You’ll get a Where to Vote card telling you where your voting place is. When you show up on May 12, or on any one of the four advance voting days open to all voters from May 6 to 9, you’ll be in the express line to the ballot box.
Join the millions of British Columbians who are already on the list. It’s the first but essential step in voting in the election and referendum on electoral reform.
If you’re already registered, ask your friends and relatives if they’re on the list. Tell them how easy it is, and how important it is to vote for the candidate of their choice, and for the electoral system of the future.
If you were waiting for a personal invitation to register to vote from the guy in charge of Elections BC, this is it. See you on the voters list.
Harry Neufeld is the Chief Electoral Officer for British Columbia.
