The transit plebiscite is winding down, and the ballots are pouring in.
As of Wednesday, Elections B.C. had screened 19,100 ballot packages from New Westminster, representing 41.5 per cent of registered voters.
Transit expert Gordon Price attributes the high turnout to three things – the intense interest in the topic, the simplicity of the voting process and the “political machinations to identify and target voters.”
“Part of it is the issue itself – how much it motivates people,” said Price, the director of SFU’s city program and a previous TransLink board member. “It has struck such an emotional cord.”
The ballot offers a simple Yes or No question, he pointed out, and voters don’t have to go to a polling station – the most difficult aspect of voting is following the directions on the three ballot envelopes.
Social media has also played a big part, he added.
Both the Yes and No sides have been vying publicly for votes, but the results of those campaigns won’t be seen until after the final results are tallied at the end of May.
Price said he expects to see ballot returns increasing steadily in the coming weeks.
“I think you will see a big wave in the next few weeks,” he said.
In comparison to the high number of ballot returns from New Westminster, 14,564 residents cast their vote during the last municipal election, representing 32.5 per cent of registered voters, showing a high level of engagement for the region.
However, voter turnout was even higher in the last democratic action when voters mailed in their ballots – the harmonized sales tax referendum. In New Westminster, 23,982 voters sent in their HST ballots.
Jordan Bateman, spokesperson for the No TransLink Tax campaign, said he’s pleased to see the high return numbers thus far.
“It’s clear our grassroots No TransLink Tax campaign is engaging people, and it’s exciting to see more votes have already been cast in this plebiscite than were received by mayors and councils last fall,” Bateman said in a press release. “We’re hopeful that turnout will continue to grow over the final 23 days of voting, and push the count to well more than 40 per cent.”
Metro Vancouver residents are voting on whether to accept a 0.5 per cent increase to the provincial sales tax to help fund 10 years' worth of transit projects. The 10-year transit plan would cost $7.5 billion, and additional work would bring the final total to $7.7 billion over 15 years. The plan includes building a new Broadway subway line, adding more B-line bus routes and replacing the Pattullo Bridge.
Those who have not received a ballot package can call 1-800-661-8683 or go to elections.bc.ca/ovr. Voters have until end of day tomorrow, Friday, May 15, to get a ballot package, and until May 29 to return their ballots.
