The next provincial election is on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Candidates will be finalized on Sept. 28 and advanced voting begins on Oct. 10.
Here you’ll find all the information you need on the candidates, the parties, and how to vote in the B.C. election if you live in Nanaimo. This voter guide will be updated with more links, stories and information as it becomes available, leading up to Oct. 19.
Which electoral districts or ridings cover Nanaimo?
This election, Nanaimo straddles two new electoral areas — Nananimo-Lantzville and Nanaimo-Gabriola Island.
The electoral area boundaries changed this year, as per recommendations made by the BC Electoral Boundaries Commission. Boundaries are periodically reassessed to account for population changes.
What does this mean for you? You may not be in the same riding you were in last year. You can double-check which electoral district you’re in by inputting your address into this Elections BC tool online.
What’s going on with BC United and the Conservative Party of BC?
At the end of August, BC United (formerly the BC Liberal Party) Leader Kevin Falcon announced he was suspending the campaign and withdrawing candidate nominations from his party. He encouraged people to support the Conservative Party of BC instead to avoid a split vote and prevent a BC NDP government. Some former BC United candidates, like Dale Parker in Nanaimo-Gabriola, are now running on the Conservative ticket.
Who are the candidates?
Nanaimo-Lantzville
George Anderson, BC NDP (website, Facebook, Instagram, X )
Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Party of BC (website, Facebook, X)
Lia Versaevel, BC Green Party (website, Instagram, X)
Nanaimo-Gabriola Island
Shirley Lambrecht, BC Green Party (website, Facebook, X)
Sheila Malcolmson, BC NDP (website, Instagram, X, Facebook)
Dale Parker, Conservative Party of BC (website, Facebook, Instagram, X)
Updated: Where can I learn more about my local candidates?
The Discourse is working to get answers to your B.C. election questions from local candidates and will post them here as soon as they are available.
Read what candidates in Nanaimo are saying about health care.
Read what candidates in Nanaimo are saying about homelessness and social supports.
Read what candidates in Nanaimo are saying about affordability.
Read what candidates in Nanaimo are saying about housing.
Read what candidates in Nanaimo are saying about the environment.
Read what Nanaimo-Lantzville candidates said at an all-candidates debate here, or watch the full video here.
Watch what Nanaimo-Gabriola Island candidates said about the issues at an all-candidates debate here.
Listen to interviews with Nanaimo-Lantzville Conservative candidate Gwen O’Mahony and Nanaimo-Gabriola candidate Shirley Lambrecht as well as Nanaimo-Gabriola Island NDP candidate Sheila Malcolmson and Nanaimo-Lantzville NDP candidate George Anderson and Nanaimo-Lantzville Green Party candidate Lia Versavel and Nanaimo-Gabriola Island BC Conservative candidate Dale Parker on CHLY 101.7FM.
You can also listen to a report on an all-candidates forum organized by the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union on student-centred questions by CHLY. Part one is Nanaimo-Lantzville candidates and part two is Nanaimo- Gabriola Island candidates.
Election candidates spoke to the business community at a forum organized by the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Home Builders Association of Vancouver Island on Oct. 8. Candidates talked taxes and how their party would support small businesses. Find out who said what in the Nanaimo News Bulletin.
Where can I find more information about the parties?
How do I vote?
If you are at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen and a resident of B.C. since April 18, 2024, you are eligible to vote. You don’t need photo ID to vote but you do need to prove your identity and address.
You can vote by mail if you request a vote by mail package by 4 p.m., Oct. 19, but Elections BC must receive your vote by mail package no earlier than Sept. 21 and no later than 8 p.m. on Oct. 19.
Voting day is on Oct. 19, 2024. Advanced voting will be from Oct. 10 to 13 and Oct. 15 and 16, 2024. Advanced voting polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information on how to vote can be found on Elections BC’s website.
Voters are entitled to four consecutive hours free from work to vote during advance polls or on election day. This doesn’t mean you’ll receive four hours off work, but that voters must have a four-hour period free from work during voting hours. Voting hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where can I vote?
Preliminary voting places for the 2024 provincial election are available online. You can find a list of advance voting places and election day voting places on the Elections BC website.
For the first time, there will be polling stations at Vancouver Island University (VIU) with advance voting taking place on Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as well as on election day on Oct. 19 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the upper cafeteria building 300. The VIU Students Union has all the details.
A reminder: You can vote at any district electoral office or voting place in the province with identification and proof of address, and you don’t need a voter card to vote. That means if you’re out of town, you’re still eligible to vote.
Resources for fact-checking:
The Elections BC website has resources for voters, including links to tools for fact-checking information, how to spot fraudulent websites and social media accounts and how to counter disinformation. Find those resources here.
The website also addresses false information about elections and the electoral process in the province.
