Voters who aren’t keen on heading to the polls two Saturdays in a row aren’t going to like this: B.C.’s next provincial and municipal elections are officially scheduled on the exact same day in four years. Under the Constitution Act, the next provincial general election would take place Oct. 19, 2030—and under the Local Government Act, the next general local elections are slated that day as well. Thankfully, there’s a significant caveat. While the timing raises the possibility of another two-election stretch for voters, the Constitution Act provides a mechanism for changing the date if local, provincial or federal elections overlap. Under the rules, the new date “must be specified on a date that cabinet determines to be suitable, after consulting with Elections B.C. and political parties,” Elections B.C. wrote in a statement to CTV News. The prospect of another scheduling collision four years from now comes as voters prepare for back-to-back elections on Oct. 17 for the municipal then Oct. 14 for the provincial. “There was no need for this election,” said interim B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerksen while campaigning in Surrey. “David Eby has called what I am calling an absolutely cynical election,” he said. Eby, meanwhile, said the public needs to have a larger say in the direction of the province. “I have great confidence in the voters of British Columbia, their ability to understand what’s happening in their communities,” he said. Saskatchewan has experienced several back-to-back votes, and there has been a push to separate provincial and municipal elections. The concern is that voters can become uncertain about whether they are registered provincially or locally, where they need to vote, and which candidates are running. That confusion can grow with each election, while repeated campaigns can also contribute to voter fatigue. The election date issue in B.C. could ultimately be avoided if there is a snap election or if the government falls, changing the timing of the next provincial vote.
