Voter Registration

Before you can vote in a provincial election you must register as a voter with Elections BC.

Who can register

You are eligible to register to vote if you:

  • are a Canadian citizen,
  • are at least 18 years old, and
  • have lived in B.C. for the past six months.

How to register

There are four ways you can register to vote:

General registration

Who? Anyone who is eligible
When? At any time, except during the ‘closed period’ of an election
Where? Online, in the mail, over the phone, at a Service BC office, or in person at our Victoria office
How? Fill in an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter

General registration lets you register at any time, except during the ‘closed period’ of an election. The closed period runs from Day 8 (eight days after the election writs are issued) until the second day after General Voting Day.

During the closed period, you can still register to vote in conjunction with voting.

To register during general registration you must complete an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter. There are several ways to do this:

Elections BC
PO Box 9275 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9J6

    • fax

1-866-466-0665 (outside Victoria)
250-387-3578 (in Victoria)

    • email (as a scanned attachment)

electionsbc@elections.bc.ca

  • Visit your local Government Agent or Service BC office.
  • Visit Elections BC in person at:

333 Quebec Street
Victoria, BC

Registration in conjunction with voting

Who? Anyone who is eligible
When? During any voting opportunity
Where? At any voting location
How? Fill in an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter

 

You can register as a voter when you vote during an election. This is called registration in conjunction with voting.

If you are not on the voters list, or your registration is not up to date, you will be asked to complete an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter at the voting place. You will also be asked to produce two pieces of personal identification showing, in combination, your name, current residential address and signature.

Registering during an enumeration

Who? Anyone who is eligible
When? During the enumeration
Where? In the mail or in person
How? Fill in an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter

 

Enumerations are a third opportunity to register as a voter. An enumeration is a registration event directed to all eligible voters or specific groups of voters in one or more electoral districts.

Special registration opportunities

Who? Anyone who is eligible
When? At any time, except during the ‘closed period’ of an election
Where? At a special registration opportunity
How? Fill in an Application for Registration as a Provincial Voter

 

The Election Act allows the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to set up special registration opportunities. For example, the CEO might decide to sponsor a registration booth at an exhibition, trade show, or seniors’ centre.

When you register at a special registration opportunity you will be asked to fill out an application for registration as a provincial voter.

Special registration opportunities cannot be held during the ‘closed period’ of an election (the period between Day 8 of an election and the second day after General Voting Day).


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