Vote-by-mail packages should be posted by Saturday for B.C. election

The more than 700,000 people who have asked for a vote-by-mail package in British Columbia's election should get their ballots into the post.

Saturday is the deadline recommended by Elections BC because the ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on election day, Oct. 24.

Those who don't mail in their votes in time can drop off the completed package in person at district electoral offices, voting places and some Service BC locations.

Information on the Elections BC website shows about 25 per cent of the 717,000 ballots sent out have been returned.

The mail-out ballots requested for the election during the COVID-19 pandemic are more than 100 times the number requested in 2017, and in some ridings they make up more than 25 per cent of registered voters.

Elections BC says the final count of the mail-in and absentee ballots won't start until 13 days after the election.

About two million registered voters cast ballots in the last election.