British Columbians will have to wait till late August to learn the results of the HST referendum.
Elections B.C. sent out more than three million packages to registered voters, who were asked whether to keep the harmonized sales tax.
"Our preliminary analysis indicates that more than 1.6 million registered voters returned HST referendum ballot packages by the deadline of 4: 30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5, 2011," said acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James. In comparison, the mailbased 2002 treaty negotiations referendum saw 790,182 voting packages returned.
The referendum question was: Are you in favour of extinguishing the HST (harmonized sales tax) and reinstating the PST (provincial sales tax) in conjunction with the GST (goods and service tax)? Yes or no?
Elections B.C. spokesman Don Main said they are hoping to release the referendum results by Aug. 25.
The packages are sorted, scanned and verified before the actual votes are counted. The referendum will be decided by a simple majority, and the results are binding. The referendum cost an estimated overall $8.9 million.
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