What you need to know ahead of voting day in B.C.

The 2024British Columbia election is on the horizon after some big changes in provincial politics since the last election.

On Aug. 28, B.C. United, formerly the B.C. Liberals, announced it was suspending its campaign, and Leader Kevin Falcon offered his support to the B.C. Conservative Party, a party that has gained significant traction since John Rustad was acclaimed as its leaderin March 2023.

Earlier this year, six new electoral districts were created, and the boundaries for 72 others changed.

Another change to voting in B.C. includes the use of laptops instead of paper lists for voting, which Elections B.C. says will speed up the voting process.

We've compiled a list of key information and dates to help voters plan ahead.

When does the election campaign begin?

Technically, the pre-campaign period began back in July, which is why some campaign ads have already appeared. The official election campaign is scheduled to begin Sept. 21, when the writ drops.

The writ is a formal written order to call an election. It is issued by the lieutenant-governor.

How do I register to vote?

You can register or update your voter information online, by mail or fax or by phone at 1-800-661-8683. Voters can also do this in person at the Elections B.C. office in Victoriaor at one of manyregistration drivesacross the province.

You will need either your B.C. driver's licence number, your ID card number, the last six digits of your social insurance number or the last six digits of your personal health number.

Online and telephone voter registration closes on Oct. 7.

How do I figure out my riding?

B.C.'s riding system has changed since the last provincial election. Electoral district maps for the 2024 election are available here, and you can type your address in to figure out which riding you're in here.

Who are the candidates in my riding?

Candidate nominations close on Sept. 28, so the official list will be finalized after that date. Until then, you can get a tentative list of candidates here.

Each major party is keeping an updated list of candidates on their websites:

• B.C. Conservative Party
• B.C. Green Party
• B.C. NDP

Where can I learn about provincial political parties?

A list of registered political parties can be found here. Each major provincial party is expected to share their platform online ahead of voting day.

CBC Newswill share more information about each party's policies in advance of voting day atcbc.ca/bc.

When is voting day?

British Columbiansare scheduled to head to the polls on Oct. 19. However, advance voting is slatedfor Oct. 10 to 13, 15 and 16.

Voters can also vote by mail. You canrequesta mail-in voting package here, andElections B.C. will start mailing those out to people who are in the province on Sept. 16. The elections office has already begun mailing them out to people who are eligible to vote in B.C. but are notin theprovince.

Where do I vote?

For those voting in person, multiple voting stations will be set up in each riding. For those planning to participate in advance voting, you can check this list of voting stations. Anyone who wants to vote on election day can choose the most convenient voting station on this list.

How will I know who won?

News outlets, including CBC News, will be actively watching and calling winners in each riding. Tune into CBC TV or CBC Radio, stream our news special online and get updates at cbc.ca/bc.