Prince George, B.C. – Elections BC  says the preliminary estimates for voter turnout  for the general election  on May 9th, indicate  about 60% of  registered voters in B.C. actually cast a ballot.

That  percentage is just  slightly above the 57.1% who voted in the previous election, but  well below the 77.66% of registered voters  who cast ballots  back in 1983.

Elections BC says the estimate is based on:

• the number of voters registered as of the close of general voter registration on April 11 adjusted for expected rates of registration during voting,
• the number of valid votes and rejected ballots cast at advance and general voting, and
• the preliminary estimate of absentee ballots in certification envelopes cast during the election.

A more accurate estimate of voter turnout will be released once the final count takes place.  That will happen between May 22 and May 24. Absentee ballots are counted at final count and there are about 176 thousand absentee ballots.

(Clicking on  graph below will  make it larger)

Elections B.C.  also says  that in the two Prince George  ridings,  16% of  registered  voters cast their ballots in the advance polls