With the provincial election campaign in full swing, my daughters have been asking a lot of questions about it.
They are intrigued by the different coloured signs and outraged when they saw some had been vandalized.
I have three daughters and there are mostly three different coloured signs along the side of the road on our way to school.
They have each chosen a colour that is their favourite. And of course, one couldn’t pick another that someone else had already chosen. My oldest daughter, who is nine, asked me what each colour meant.
I very briefly explained the party’s platforms.
And after each time I explained one, she said, “oh, that sounds good, I would vote for them.”
And then “oh wait, no that party sounds better... no wait, that one sounds better….”
She asked me how people choose, they all sound like they want to help people.
I then had to explain to her that some people vote for the person while other people vote for the party. Her nose crinkled and she looked more confused than ever. Of course, her next question was about who I was going to vote for.
I told her the most important thing is that people actually go out to vote.
In the last provincial election in 2020, the voter turnout was only 53.3 per cent.
In the 2022 municipal election, the estimated eligible voter turnout for the Town of Smithers was 45.1 per cent, which was 15.9 per cent higher than the average B.C. municipal turnout of 29.2 per cent.
It is so important to vote. There are so many ways to vote. You can vote if you are a Canadian citizen; 18 or older on October 19, 2024; and a resident of B.C. since April 18, 2024.
Voting by mail is available to all voters. There are no special eligibility requirements. Requests can be made online, by phone or in-person at a district electoral office. However, Elections BC must receive your completed vote-by-mail package no later than 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19.
My husband and I voted on one of the advance polling days. Mostly because I am so excited to exercise my democratic right, but also because we both had to work on the regular voting day. We made a date out of it, got a babysitter, grabbed lunch and it was wonderful.
General Voting Day is Oct. 19.
Get out and have your voice heard.
