Elections BC has received and screened nearly 655,000 ballots in the Metro Vancouver transit referendum, as of Wednesday morning.
That’s an average of 41.9 per cent of registered voters who have marked ballots so far.
There are just a few days left for residents to complete and send in their ballot packages by the deadline of 8 p.m. on Friday, May 29.
Mailing them in by Canada Post is no longer recommended in case they don’t arrive in time. Last-minute voters can instead drop their ballot packages off at an Elections BC plebiscite office.
Locally, there is an office at Willowbrook Shopping Centre. It is open during mall hours, but not on Sundays.
Metro Vancouver residents are being asked to approve a 0.5 per cent increase in the provincial sales tax to fund various transportation improvements, including new rapid transit and express bus lines.
So far, 39 per cent of Langley City voters have returned their ballots, and 44.5 per cent of Langley Township residents have voted.
The voter participation rate in the City is almost double the 20 per cent participation in the municipal election in November.
Turnout in Langley Township is among the highest in the region. Only New Westminster and the three small communities of Anmore, Belcarra and Lions Bay have had a higher percentage of voters return their ballots.