Now that we are into an election campaign in British Columbia, Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry says she has been working with Elections BC for months to ensure guidelines are in place for a safe election.

Henry says NDP leader John Horgan did not need to ask her for permission ahead of calling an election.

“My role is to provide advice on the health of the population and to put in measures needed to ensure that activities that need to happen can happen, so no, I was not asked for advice on timing of an election,” Henry said. “That is part of the political process and I am not part, so I would not expect to have been asked either.”

Henry noted that the twice weekly COVID-19 briefings will continue uninterrupted during the next five weeks with regular briefings on Monday and Thursday, and statements released on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

“The guidelines that we have come up with include how political parties and their candidates need to keep themselves and their staff and volunteers and their community safe. We’ve also outlined how elections processes need to occur,” Henry added, noting that more information on how the 2020 Provincial Election will be held safely will be released on Tuesday morning.

In a statement, Elections BC says its main focus is to ensure a safe and accessible voting process during the pandemic.

“We have been working with Dr. Bonnie Henry’s office to develop our safe voting plans and make sure that voters don’t have to choose between safeguarding their health and exercising their right to vote,” said Chief Electoral Officer Anton Boegman.

“All voters have the option of voting in person with protective measures in place, or voting by mail.”

Boegman says Elections BC will be implementing a number of measures to help voters cast their ballot safely in person. It will include physical distancing, limits to the number of people inside a venue, regular cleaning of high touch surfaces, protective barriers and the use of personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer.

“We encourage voters to wear a mask when they vote to help protect others. Voters will not be asked to remove their mask to vote,” noted Elections BC. “Voters will be asked to sanitize their hands before and after voting.”

“To prevent close contact, some familiar voting procedures may be different. For example, voters will make a verbal declaration of their eligibility to vote instead of signing a voting book. Voters also can bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot.”

In addition to voting in person on election day – October 24 – there will be advance polls from Thursday, October 15 to Wednesday, October 21. People can also vote at a district electoral office from now until 4 p.m. on election day.

People can also request a mail-in ballot for whatever reason and you can request a ballot on the Elections BC website or by phone at 1-800-661-8683.

There will also be accessible voting including curbsite voting, assisted voting by phone, and site-based voting for at-risk voters and people with disabilities.

For more information about the provincial election, you’re asked to visit elections.bc.ca, follow Elections BC on social media, or reach out by phone.