Voters in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky are lagging behind other electoral districts in the province in registering to vote for the May 12 general election and referendum on electoral reform.
Voters in this district risk having a lower participation rate in the spring election, says Chief Electoral Officer Harry Neufeld.
"Our statistics show the lower the rate of registration, the lower the voting rate," Neufeld said this week in a release.
Registration is fairly simple. Eligible voters can register online at elections.bc.ca or call 1-800-661-8683 to register by phone.
A concerted effort by Elections B.C. to encourage people to register or update their registration has been largely successful, with 75.6 per cent of the province's 3.2 million eligible voters registered at the right address. Elections B.C. sent out 2 million enumeration notices in February and March to households across the province.
But the rate in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky is only 65.2 per cent, according to statistics released Tuesday by Elections B.C. There are 20 other districts that are lagging behind with a rate of less than 70 per cent.
The lower rate of registration at the correct address is attributed to high mobility in some areas of the province and a lack of awareness of voter registration requirements.
Voters have until April 21 to get on the voters list or update their registration prior to the election. Registered voters receive a Where to Vote card during the election and are given their ballots after a quick check of their identification at voting places.
After April 21, people who want to vote will have to register at voting places, which may involve lineups and delays.
"You can go online or you can wait in line," Neufeld said. "Registering on our website only takes a few minutes. It's a convenience that gets you into the express line when you vote."
