B.C. Votes 2020: Here's the last-minute details for election day in Prince George tomorrow

Tomorrow (Oct. 24) is decision day (sort of) for the 2020 snap-provincial election.

If you haven't voted yet and are heading to the polls tomorrow, or are wondering where to drop off your completed vote-by-mail package, what ID to bring or what COVID-19 protocols are put in place by Elections BC, here's a last-minute detailed guide with everything you need to know.

WHERE CAN I VOTE?

Prince George-Valemount voting stations open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Blackburn Community Centre - 2451 Blackburn Rd. S., Prince George
Buckhorn Elementary School - 5190 Buckhorn Lake Rd., Buckhorn
Columbus Community Centre - 7201 Domano Blvd., Prince George
Dome Creek Community Centre - 13766 - Dome Creed Rd., Dome Creek
Dunster Community Hall - 7085 Read Red., Dunster
Elks Hall - 172 Holdway St., McBride
Ferndale Tabour Fire Department - 16315 Giscome Rd., Ferndale
First Baptist Church - 483 Gillett St., Prince George
Harwin Elementary School - 1193 Harper St., Prince George
Hixon Elementary School - 378 Lockyer Rd., Hixon
Pineview Elementary School - 8515 Old Cariboo Hwy., Prince George
Prince George Civic Centre - 808 Canada Games Way - Prince George
Prince George Secondary School - 2901 Griffiths Ave., Prince George
Sinclair Mills Community Hall - 37832 Upper Fraser Rd., Sinclair Mills
Southridge Elementary School - 7300 Southridge Ave., Prince George
Valemount Community Hall - 101 Gorse St., Valemount
Van Bien Elementary School - 311 Wilson Cres., Prince George
Vanway Elementary School - 4509 Highway 16 W., Prince George
Westwood Elementary School - 2633 Vanier Dr., Prince George
Willow River Firehall - 524 Railway Ave., Willow River

Prince George-Mackenzie voting stations open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Bear Lake Commission - 353 Grizzly Ave., Bear Lake
Beaverly Elementary School - 9777 Western Rd., Prince George
Christ Our Saviour Church Hall - 4514 Austin Rd. W., Prince George
D.P. Todd Secondary School - 4444 Hill Ave., Prince George
Edgewood Elementary School - 4440 Craig Dr., Prince George
Foothills Elementary School - 4375 Eaglenest Cres., Prince George
Hart Highlands Elementary School - 2233 Sussex Lane., Prince George
Heather Park Elementary School - 7151 Heather Park Rd., Prince George
Kinsmen Club of Prince George - 777 Kinsmen Pl., Prince George
Mackenzie Secondary School - 500 Skeena Dr., Mackenzie
McLeod Lake Community Hall - 48189 Hwy 97 - McLeod Lake
Miworth Community Hall - 13510 Flint Rd., Prince George
Ness Lake Community Hall - 8770 Lakeside Dr., Reid Lake
Nukko Lake Community Hall - 23485 Chief Lake Rd., Nukko Lake
Pinewood Elementary School - 4140 Campbell Ave., Prince George
Prince George Family Worship Centre = 3400 Hart Hwy., Prince George
Quinson Elementary School - 251 S. Ogilvie St., Prince George
Salmon Valley Community Hall - 17735 Trout Rd., Salmon Valley
Summit Lake Community Hall - 1280 Adams Rd., Summit Lake

BC Transit and handyDART services will be free all-day Saturday in an effort to help local residents get to their polling station.

HOW CAN I VOTE?

You can cast your ballot in person at your assigned voting station.

You can also vote at a district electoral office anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. tomorrow.

If you requested a vote-by-mail package, it now is too late to mail your ballot, but you can still drop your completed package off at the electoral office until 8 p.m.

The two offices for Prince George ridings are at the following addresses:

Prince George-Valemount - 1511 3rd Ave., Prince George V2L 3G3
- Phone: 250-649-2890
- Office email address: DEOPRV@elections.bc.ca
- Chief Electoral Officer: Linda Smerychynski
- Deputy District Electoral Officer: Anna-Marie Spooner

Prince George-Mackenzie - 212-100 Tabor Blvd. South, Prince George V2M 5T4
- Phone: 250-649-2880
- Office email address: DEOPRM@elections.bc.ca
- Chief Electoral Officer: Patty Lambkin
- Deputy Chief Electoral Officer: Anita Ross

WHAT COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES WILL BE IN PLACE?

Elections BC says the following protocols are being implemented:

Physical distancing
Capacity limits
Election officials wearing personal protective equipment (masks, face-visors, etc.)
Protective barriers
Hand sanitizing stations
Frequent cleaning of voting stations and frequently touched surfaces
Election workers trained on safe workplace guidelines and pandemic protocols

Elections BC also recommends you bring your own pen or pencil to vote.

It is also recommended voters wear masks if they wish to do so. You will not be asked to remove a mask to vote.

WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES IN MY RIDING?

Prince George has two electoral ridings.

Below are the candidates and links to profiles of candidates PrinceGeorgeMatters was able to interview.

Prince George-Valemount has four on the ballot:

Shirley Bond - BC Liberal Party
Mackenzie Kerr - BC Green Party
Laura Parent - BC NDP
Sean Robson - BC Libertarian Party

Prince George-Mackenzie has five on the ballot:

Joan Atkinson - BC NDP
Catharine Kendall - BC Green Party
Dee Kranz - Christian Heritage Party of BC
Mike Morris - BC Liberal Party
Raymond Rodgers - BC Libertarian Party

WILL WE KNOW WHO WON ON ELECTION NIGHT?

The answer is most likely no.

Elections BC is preparing British Columbians for the likelihood that they won’t know who won the election until weeks after polls close on Saturday.

Votes cast on election night and in advance voting polls, called “live” ballots, will be counted on election night. Preliminary results will be available at results.elections.bc.ca. The first results come in about half an hour after polls close.

The day before final counting starts on Nov. 6, Elections B.C. will let the public know how many certified mail-in ballots have been received, which could give a more accurate picture of how long counting will take. The final count usually lasts three days but Boegman said it could take longer because of the unprecedented number of vote-by-mail and absentee ballots. He did not have an estimate for how much longer it could take.

The mail-in ballots and absentee ballots are counted by hand, because some voters who received their voting packages before candidates were finalized had to write in the name of their chosen candidate.

All absentee and mail-in ballots are sent to the voter’s district and screened to ensure the voter is registered and eligible to vote and that someone who voted by mail or absentee ballot didn’t also vote on general election day.

People who sent a ballot by mail will not be given any notice that their ballot has been received, but people who put their ballot in the mail by Oct. 17 should be assured their vote will make it to Elections B.C in time.

Elections officials will be at Canada Post’s sorting facility in Richmond to ensure any mail-in ballots received Saturday will be counted.

Canada Post will be delivering ballots until the close of voting Saturday.

There could be a recount if there is less than a 100-vote difference between the top two candidates in a district. After the final count, a judicial recount can be requested for six days. After the final count, a judicial recount can be requested for six days if there is a tie between the top two candidates or a margin of less than 0.2 per cent between the top candidates.

Chief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman provides an update to the media on the counting process for the 2020 Provincial General Election. https://t.co/YLZ3Oihxb2
— Elections BC (@ElectionsBC) October 23, 2020

WHAT ID DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME?

Option One: Show ONE piece of the following ID.

A BC Driver Licence
A BC Identification Card
A BC Services Card (with photo)
Another card issued by the Government of B.C. or Canada that shows name, photo and address
A Certificate of Indian Status

Option Two: Show any of the following two pieces of ID or documents that both show your name. At least one MUST have your current address.

Government-issued identity documents: