Cariboo-Prince George and Skeena-Bulkley Valley voters can cast their ballots for the 2025 federal election as early as Friday, April 18.
Advance voting will continue on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (April 19-21) from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, with the exception of Alexis Creek, where advance voting is scheduled for April 19 only.
Voters who are already registered should receive their voter cards with their assigned voting location on it, but if not you can still vote. You can find your voting location by calling 1-800-463-6868 or by visiting Elections.ca and entering your postal code on the site's main page. From there you can click on "where do I vote?" and enter your town or city, street name and street number.
There are several designated advance voting sites across the region, including at the Senior Citizen's Activity Centre in Williams Lake, at Moose Hall in Bella Coola, the 108 Mile Ranch Community Association in 108 Mile Ranch and the 100 Mile Community Hall in 100 Mile House.
All these locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from April 18 to 21 for advance voting. People in or around Alexis Creek can head to the Alexis Creek Community Club from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. on April 19 alone for advance voting.
Advance voting sites tend to be busiest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you are unable to get your assigned polling station in your riding on election day or on advance polling days, you can vote in person at an Elections Canada office anytime before April 22 at 6 p.m. Elections Canada offices are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Elections Canada offices in the region are located at 118 First Avenue North in Williams Lake and 200 Birch Avenue in 100 Mile House.
You can also vote by mail, but you must apply by April 22 at 6 p.m. eastern time on the Elections Canada website or by mail. Once you apply to vote by mail you cannot change your mind and vote in person. The ballot must be returned be election day which is Monday, April 28.
If you choose to vote in-person on election day, your voting station may be different than your advance voting station. You can verify this on the back of your voting card, online or by calling 1-800-463-6868.
Election day voting stations across the region are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and include Moose Hall in Bella Coola, the Anahim Lake Elementary Junior Secondary School in Anahim Lake, the Tatla Lake Area Community Association in Tatla Lake, the Alexis Creek Community Club in Alexis Creek, the Esk'etemc Community Gym in Alkali Lake, the St Andrews United Church in Williams Lake, the Lac La Hache Pioneer Centre in Lac La Hache, the 100 Mile Community Hall in 100 Mile House, the Likely Community Hall in Likely, the Horsefly Community Hall and the McLeese Lake Recreational Centre.
The busiest times to vote on election day are between 10 a.m. and noon or after 4 p.m.
To vote, electors must prove their identity and address.
Voters have several options to prove who they are when they get to the polling place:
The first is to have one piece of ID like a driver's license, with the person's name, photo and address. Another option is to bring two pieces of identification that don't meet that criteria as long as both have the voter's name and one has an address. This can include a bank card or utility bill and voter card. The third option is to have someone who can prove their identity vouch for the voter. The person vouching must have the same voting location and be able to prove their own identity and address. People can only vouch for one voter, with the exception of at long-term care facilities.
Unhoused people who wish to vote but don't have someone to vouch for them can still do so. If they receive a letter of confirmation of residence from a place like a shelter, soup kitchen or community-based residential facility as proof of an address they can use that, along with a piece of ID like a birth certificate or health card, citizens without homes can still cast a ballot.
Seniors in long-term care facilities may be able to access a mobile polling station at the facility, they have similar options to other voters but can be vouched for by employees of their facilities as long as the employee lives in the same riding or a neighbouring one. Staff at long-term care facilities have the ability to vouch for multiple residents of the facility.
Candidates running in the Cariboo-Prince George riding are:
Angie Bonazzo of the New Democratic Party, Jodie Capling of the Green Party of Canada, Todd Doherty of the Conservative Party of Canada, Clinton Emslie of the Liberal Party of Canada, Rudy Sans of the People's Party of Canada, Kenneth B. Thomson as an independent and Jake Wiens of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada.
Candidates running in the Skeena-Bulkley Valley riding are:
Taylor Bachrach of the New Democratic Party, Inderpal Dhillon of the Liberal Party of Canada, Ellis Ross of the Conservative Party of Canada, Rod Taylor of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada and Adeana Young of the Green Party of Canada.
With files from Austin Kelly and Lauren Collins.
