North Saanich resident Russell Flower stopped by Mary Winspear Community Centre Thursday morning to cast his vote ahead of the B.C. general election on Oct. 19.
"I opted for the advanced voting because it's convenient and it's just on my way home," Flower said. "I don't do crowds very well and I don't like lineups much because I don't have a lot of patience for it."
Flower spoke too soon as not even five minutes later the line grew and extended far beyond the corner of the community centre spilling close to the parking lot.
The 2024 provincial election has officially kicked off and close to a hundred people patiently lined up outside the polling site in Sidney for early voting that runs from Oct. 10 to 13, then again on Oct. 15 and 16.
"I saw online and they said like 60 per cent of people were going to do early voting this year," Sidney resident Marilyn Campbell excitedly shared. "This is surprising but nice, because maybe there'll be another 60 to make 120 per cent on election day. We need everybody to vote."
The long line of voters also included Ken Tran a longtime resident of North Saanich, who escaped Vietnam in 1975 in search of a new life in Canada,
Tran told Peninsula News Review the big voter turnout is a good thing for democracy.
A sentiment echoed by many waiting their turn to cast their ballot.
"Our forefathers fought for this so we have the right to vote," says Bev Roberts who arrived ready to vote in her wheelchair.
Early voters like Sylvia and Gerry Johnson said the voting process inside Mary Winspear Centre was being carried out smoothly albeit rather slowly.
According to Elections BC, this year's paper ballots will be collected by electronic tabulators and almost all of them are expected to be officially counted on the Oct. 19 election day.
Advance voting places will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
