Dual elections a headache for some B.C. voters

Local and provincial elections are taking place in October in British Columbia, causing confusion and frustration among voters. City council candidate Cori Ramsay reported that a voter told her she can't wait to vote for her on Oct. 24, but would be disappointed as Ramsay's election is a week earlier on Oct. 17. The provincial vote will see the election of 93 members of the legislature, determining the next premier of B.C., while the local elections will see voters elect mayors, councillors, school board trustees and other local officials.

NDP Leader David Eby called for a snap election, which coincided with the beginning of the local election campaign period, and was criticized by the Union of BC Municipalities. Local election candidate Jenna Stoner has seen voters confused about where and when to vote, with some even forgetting about the dual elections. The Union of BC Municipalities believes the decision has put an unfair strain on voters, while Stoner has noticed volunteer burnout and the potential for volunteers to be pulled away from local efforts to work on the provincial election.

Professor Michael MacKenzie argues that the overlapping campaigns are bad for democracy, as both local and provincial candidates rely on the same volunteer base and resources are stretched thin. Voter turnout in municipal elections tends to be low, and the competing elections may further discourage voter participation.