Most of the province’s residents say they will cast their ballots on Election Day in October, up significantly from four years ago.
Vancouver, BC [August 2, 2024] – Few British Columbians are thinking of relying on mail-in ballots to vote in this year’s provincial election, a new Research Co. poll has found.
The online survey of a representative provincial sample asked British Columbians how they voted in the 2020 democratic process—which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic—and how they intend to vote in 2024.
More than half of British Columbians (52%) say they plan to cast their ballot in person on Election Day (October 19). Fewer than one third of the province’s residents (28%) voted this way in 2020.
Just over one-in-five British Columbians (21%) intend to vote in person during Advance Voting, down from 32% who chose this method four years ago.
Fewer than one-in-ten British Columbians (8%) will request a mail-in ballot in 2024, down from 28% who voted this way in the last provincial election.
Once the provincial campaign begins, more than seven-in-ten British Columbians (72%) say they will “definitely” or “probably” watch, listen or read news about the campaign in the media.
More than three-in-five British Columbians also intend to read the platforms and policy positions of political parties on their websites (68%) and review the background of candidates who are running in their constituency (65%).
Fewer British Columbias plan to attend (or watch) a debate featuring the main party leaders (52%), attend (or watch) a debate featuring candidates from their constituency (48%) or meet candidates who knock on their door (29%).
“More than a third of British Columbians aged 18-to-34 (35%) will meet candidates who knock on their door during the campaign,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among their counterparts aged 35-to-54 (29%) and aged 55 and over (25%).”
When asked which feelings they have about this year’s provincial election, more than three-in-ten British Columbians (31%) mention “indifference” while one-in-four (25%) say the ballot elicits “enthusiasm”.
Other words used by British Columbians to describe this year’s provincial democratic process are “trust” (18%), “fear” (15%), “pride” (11%), “anger” (also 11%), “joy” (10%), “sadness” (8%), “disgust” (7%) and “shame” (5%).
Voters in British Columbia who are currently supporting the governing BC New Democratic Party (NDP) mention four specific emotions: “enthusiasm” (32%), “indifference” (29%), “trust” (26%) and “fear” (13%).
Those who plan to vote for the Conservative Party of BC rely on the same emotions, but at different levels: “enthusiasm” (33%), “indifference” (25%), “fear” (22%) and “trust” (17%).
Supporters of the BC Green Party put “indifference” at the top of their list (37%), followed by “enthusiasm” (20%), “fear” (19%) and “anger” (19%).
The top four emotions for British Columbians who plan to vote for BC United are “enthusiasm” (28%), “indifference” (27%), “trust” (19%) and “joy” (18%).
Methodology: Results are based on an online study conducted from July 23 to July 25, 2024, among 801 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca