---
title: "BC advance voting is down in first three days compared to 2024"
description: "Elections BC says about 440,000 ballots were cast in the first three days of advance voting, down from almost 480,000 in 2024. Advance polls close Tuesday."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-election-advance-voting-turnout-oct20-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-21T00:33:06.505Z"
---

Elections BC reported that about 440,000 ballots were cast in the first three days of advance voting in the 2026 British Columbia provincial election. CHEK News and The Canadian Press reported this figure on October 20, down about 8 per cent from almost 480,000 cast in the first three days of advance voting in 2024.

The 2024 election had set a record for advance turnout: more than one million advance ballots in total, up 49 per cent from the election before it. Almost half of all votes in 2024 were cast before final voting day, compared to about 20 per cent in 2013, according to a report by the chief electoral officer. The chief electoral officer's report says advance voting has been rising for two decades.

The 440,000 advance ballots so far in 2026 represent about 12 per cent of all registered voters in British Columbia, according to Elections BC. That total will go higher: advance voting was still open when Elections BC reported the figure.

Advance voting for the 2026 election opened on Friday October 16. It was scheduled to run through Tuesday October 21 at hundreds of locations across the province. Voters do not need a reason to use advance voting; any registered voter can cast a ballot at an advance poll in their district.

Final voting day is Saturday October 24. All 93 provincial districts will have voting places open that day. Voters who cast an advance ballot do not vote again on final voting day.

Voters who have not yet cast a ballot can still do so in advance today, Tuesday October 20, or tomorrow, Tuesday October 21, until 8 pm. Elections BC lists advance voting locations and hours by address at elections.bc.ca.

Voters who are not yet registered can check their registration status or register through Elections BC before voting.

Read about the candidates in your district at [/bc/provincial-2026/news](/bc/provincial-2026/news).

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