Nearly 10,000 people in the Nanaimo-Alberni riding cast their votes in advanced balloting— 3,000 more than in the 2008 federal election, returning officer Ann Chandler said.
“The advanced balloting was heavy this year.”
Advanced and special balloting closed at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
The only option now for residents to cast their ballots is on election day, and it must be done in the residents’ riding, Chandler said.
In Port Alberni, votes can be cast on election day – May 2 – from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polls across the country are synchronized to close at similar times.
Residents can cast their ballots at voting stations located in the Port Alberni Friendship Centre, Glenwood Centre, Cherry Creek Hall, as well as at the Beaver Creek and Sproat Lake firehalls.
Polling stations are also set up in the riding’s remote locations: Bamfield, Ahousaht, Hot Springs Cove, Meares Island and Lasqueti Island.
Voters have to show one piece of valid identification with their address on it, such as BC ID or a drivers license to a station official before the can vote.
On election night, station riding officials will amass votes, count them then file a report with Ottawa, who will report it to media liaisons for dissemination to the public.
The Nanaimo-Alberni riding stretches from North Yale Road in Nanaimo to Deep Bay, and down Island to Host Springs Cove.
The riding has 95,880 registered voters.
There were 62,100 who voted in the 2008 election in Nanaimo-Alberni.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com