Do you know which North Vancouver you live in? Flyers intended to inform City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver residents on how to vote in the Oct. 15 election are turning up in mailboxes on the wrong side of the municipal boundary.
Lynn Valley resident Alicia Peters, who has worked as an election observer globally, said everyone in her strata building received a flyer in the mail Monday from the City of North Vancouver telling her where and when she could cast her ballot in the civic election. Except Lynn Valley is in the District of North Vancouver, not the city.
“I absolutely believe this is an innocent mistake, but I understand the implications of sending out incorrect information,” she said, noting that misdirecting voters to the wrong polls is a frequent tactic in voter suppression.
In a statement, city spokesperson Pardeep Purewal said district residents in several neighbourhoods that border the city will have received the wrong flyer, and that voters should double check that they have the correct instructions.
“Consistent with past practice and some other municipalities, the city sent the postcard via unaddressed mail, a cost-effective option for informing the residents. The city worked with a mailing house and Canada Post to determine the mail carrier routes and ensure that all households within the city would receive the postcard. These routes are set by Canada Post and are not based on municipal boundaries,” it read. “Some routes on the municipal boundaries overlap with each other, which means that in some areas residents of the District of North Vancouver would have received the city’s postcard, including Delbrook, Lynn Creek, Lynn Valley, Pemberton Heights and Upper Lonsdale neighbourhoods.”
The District of North Vancouver uses a similar method to mail out pre-election postcards, so some city residents may find themselves getting the district’s voter information later this week as well.
Purewal said reliable voter information can be found on the city and district’s websites, and the elections officers from both the city and district are available to answer questions.
Peters said she worries there will be people who don’t realize the mistake that’s been made and go to the wrong polls, only to become frustrated and not vote at all.
“The border isn't something that you necessarily think about often, and so it is very possible for people to receive it and not know it's a mistake,” she said. “Municipal elections tend to have low voter turnout, and it is important that our institutions and candidates and electoral officers take steps to increase participation, not lower it.”
Below is the correct information on where and when eligible City of North Vancouver residents can vote
- General Voting Day
Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at any one of the nine voting locations across the city:
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- Carson Graham Secondary School, 2145 Jones Ave
- Larson Elementary School, 2605 Larson Rd
- Memorial Recreation Centre, 125 East 23rd St
- North Shore Neighbourhood House, 225 East 2nd St
- Queen Mary Elementary School, 230 West Keith Rd
- Ridgeway Elementary School, 420 East 8th St
- Sutherland Secondary School, 1860 Sutherland Ave
- The Pipe Shop, 115 Victory Ship Way
- Westview Elementary School, 641 West 17th St
- Advance Voting
All advance voting is at City of North Vancouver City Hall, 141 West 14 St.
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- Wednesday, Oct. 5: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 8: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 11: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesday, Oct. 12: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Thursday, October 13: 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
- Mail Ballot
All eligible voters have the option to vote by mail. Mail ballot packages can be requested at cnv.org/vote. Voters are encouraged to request and return their package as soon as possible. Packages requested on Wednesday, Oct. 5 or later must be picked up in person at City of North Vancouver City Hall, 141 West 14 St. The last day to request a mail ballot application is Monday, Oct. 10. Ballots must be received by the Chief Election Officer by 8 p.m. on Oct. 15 in order to be counted.
Below is the correct information on where and when eligible District of North Vancouver residents can vote
The blue pins are for polling places open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day, Oct. 15.
The green pins are for advance voting at district hall Oct. 5, 8, and 10 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Parkgate Communtiy Centre Oct. 8 and 10 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
