Here we go! Election officially called

Christy Clark visited the lieutenant-governor on Tuesday to formally dissolve the legislature, which means the 2017 BC election campaign is officially underway.

“Eligible voters can vote from now until the polls close on General Voting Day,” said Keith Archer, Chief Electoral Officer.

“B.C. has the most accessible voting system in Canada, and we encourage all eligible voters to cast a ballot.”

The BC Liberals are looking win their fifth straight majority government but will have to beat out the resurgent NDP and Green parties in what polls suggest will be a tight battle.

Clark and the Liberals have already fired shots at NDP Leader John Horgan, accusing the New Democrats of siding with fringe advocates over the mainstream interests that drive job creation in a province that has led the country in economic growth.

In return, Horgan and his NDP party have attacked Clark on social policies, arguing too many people have been left behind by a Liberal government that is out-of-touch after 16 years in power as he promotes a daycare program that would cost $10 a day and a significant increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver, the first member of his party to win a seat in a provincial legislature, is asking voters who are tired of the status quo to give his party a chance, promising a revamped economic plan that encourages growth in emerging business sectors while protecting the environment.

General Voting Day is Tuesday, May 9th. Voting places throughout the province will be open on General Voting Day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Advance voting is available on April 29 and April 30, and from May 3 to May 6. Advance voting places are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters can find more information about where, when and how to vote on Elections BC’s website. It includes a Where to Vote application that shows voting places, their hours, and directions on a Google Map. The Where to Vote application is available at elections.bc.ca/wtv.