Elections B.C. voter turnout estimate rises, but still a historic low
Agency says estimated turnout rate is now 54.5%, down from 2017
Elections B.C. has revised its estimated voter turnout for the provincial election in October, but the increased figure is still a historic low for the province.
While final figures won't be known until post-election processing has been completed, Elections B.C. says more than 1.9 million voters cast their ballots.
The agency has increased its estimated turnout rate from 52.4 per cent to 54.5 per cent.
Despite that, it would still be a new low: statistics from Elections B.C. going back to 1928 show the lowest voter turnout was 55.14 per cent during the 2009 election.
Elections B.C. says 724,279 voters requested vote-by-mail packages and more people cast their ballots in advanced polls and by mail than those who voted on election day, driven largely by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preliminary data released by Elections B.C. shows voting on election day accounted for 28.8 per cent of the vote, compared to nearly two-thirds in 2017.