Everyone can get ready for the fall provincial election by figuring out which riding they’ll be voting in.
Changes to both electoral districts in the Chilliwack area, and most across B.C. will be in effect in time for the October 19 election, including new names and new boundaries.
The new ridings are called Chilliwack-Cultus Lake, and Chilliwack North, and they are among 72 in the province to have boundaries redrawn.
“Our focus at Elections BC is to prepare voters for what to expect when they vote later this year,” said Anton Boegman, chief electoral officer of British Columbia. “There will not only be new electoral districts for B.C.’s next provincial election, but there will also be new technology at voting places to make voting faster and easier.”
They set up a web page to help folks find their new riding name: elections.bc.ca/mydistrict, and boundary changes.
The Chilliwack riding will become ‘Chilliwack North’ to represent a population of 52,440, centred on downtown, along with Sumas Mountain, Greendale, Rosedale and Popkum, and losing Yarrow and Deroche.
Chilliwack-Kent will become ‘Chilliwack-Cultus Lake’ with the changes, to represent 53,148 citizens, losing the communities of Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and the northern Harrison Lake section, and gaining Yarrow, Promontory, Cultus Lake, the Eastern Hillsides, and Ryder Lake.
Electoral districts, sometimes called ridings or constituencies, are the geographic areas represented by members of the legislative assembly.
The new boundaries will be in effect once the election is called on Sept. 21.
There will be 93 electoral districts for the next provincial election, up from 87 last election.
Six new ones were created in areas that have experienced rapid growth, like Langley, Surrey, and Kelowna, as well as Vancouver, Burnaby and Langford on Vancouver Island.
Voters can get their electoral registration info up to date, at elections.bc.ca/2024-provincial-election.
A map of the new electoral districts is coming by mail to B.C. homes before the end of March.
READ MORE: Proposed 2 new Chilliwack ridings
