Elections BC > News > Vancouver-Quilchena By-election Voting Results Available April 30 After 8 p.m.

Vancouver-Quilchena By-election Voting Results Available April 30 After 8 p.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2022

VICTORIA – Voting results for the Vancouver-Quilchena by-election will be available at the link below after 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 30:

Elections BC expects preliminary results to start being reported shortly after voting closes. Following changes to the Election Act, electronic tabulators are being used to count voter-marked paper ballots for the first time in a provincial election in B.C. Electronic tabulators have been previously used successfully in the 2018 Referendum on Electoral Reform, as well as in other provincial elections in Canada and in municipal elections in B.C. For more information, see the attached backgrounder.

Voting places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Eligible voters in Vancouver-Quilchena can find voting place information at the links below:

Voters are reminded to bring their Where to Vote card and acceptable ID with them when they go to vote. The list of acceptable ID is available at elections.bc.ca/ID.

The publication of new polls and election advertising are prohibited on Election Day. No campaigning is permitted within 100 metres of a voting place. Allowable Election Day activities include distributing pamphlets, signs and posters (outside of 100 metres from a voting place), as well as unpaid social media posts or posts with the sole purpose of encouraging voters to vote.

Voters in Vancouver-Quilchena with questions about voting opportunities in the by-election are encouraged to call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683, or visit elections.bc.ca/vnq-byelection.

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Contact:
Andrew Watson
Director, Communications
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-1709
Email: Andrew.Watson@elections.bc.ca
Website: elections.bc.ca

Elections BC is the independent, non-partisan Office of the Legislature responsible for administering electoral processes in British Columbia under provincial legislation, including the Election Act, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act, Recall and Initiative Act and Referendum Act.

 

BACKGROUNDER
April 29, 2022

USE OF ELECTRONIC TABULATORS IN VANCOUVER-QUILCHENA BY-ELECTION

  • Electronic tabulators are being used to count voter-marked paper ballots for the first time in a provincial election in the Vancouver-Quilchena by-election.
  • In 2019, the Election Act was amended to modernize the legislative framework for provincial elections. One of the changes was to allow the Chief Electoral Officer to use vote-counting equipment. This change recently came into force after Elections BC indicated readiness to use the new technology.
  • Electronic tabulators are a proven, secure technology that has been used successfully in provincial elections elsewhere in Canada, including Ontario, New Brunswick, and Alberta. Tabulators have also been used successfully in municipal elections in B.C.
  • Elections BC used electronic tabulators to count paper ballots in the 2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit Plebiscite and the 2018 Referendum on Electoral Reform.
  • In past provincial elections, election officials would start counting ballots by hand after voting closed. Results typically started to be reported about 45 minutes after voting closed. Reporting would continue throughout the night. Some election officials would have to count over a thousand ballots manually on election night.
  • Under the new model, ballots are fed into tabulators while voting takes place. The tabulators do not display any results and there is no way to determine results while voting is ongoing.
  • After the close of voting, election officials produce a results tape from the tabulator and report this information to the district electoral office. The information is then published on Elections BC’s website.
  • Other jurisdictions using electronic tabulators have started to see results reported within 10 minutes of voting closing. Elections BC expects results to start being reported quickly after 8 p.m. on April 30.
  • Tabulators undergo rigorous testing before and after being used. The table below outlines some of the quality assurance measures in place.

Pre-election logic and accuracy test

This test is performed before the tabulator is used. Test ballots with a known result are run through the tabulators to ensure that votes are read and recorded accurately.

Zero tape

Before voting starts, election officials produce a “zero tape” that shows no votes have been recorded by the tabulator.

Ballot reconciliation

After results have been produced by the tabulator, election officials complete a reconciliation form to show that the number of ballots issued matches the total votes reported by the tabulator.

Post-election logic and accuracy test

All tabulators used for election night counts are tested again after election night, to prove the tabulators continue to function as specified.

Post-election hand-count of randomly selected tabulator

After Election Day, ballots that were counted by two randomly selected tabulators are hand-counted, to provide further assurance that tabulator counts are accurate.

DEO and judicial recounts (conducted if necessary based on legislated criteria)

Under the Election Act, recounts may be conducted by the district electoral officer or the Supreme Court of British Columbia under specific circumstances established in legislation. District electoral officer recounts must be conducted by hand. Procedures for a judicial recount are determined by the court.
  • Lessons learned from administering the Vancouver-Quilchena by-election will help Elections BC prepare for the next provincial general election in B.C., currently scheduled for October 2024.