SURREY, B.C. - Today is the last chance to vote early in British Columbia’s provincial election. Advance voting places across Surrey and the rest of the province are open until 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, October 21, and any eligible voter can walk into any advance voting place in B.C. and cast a ballot, no matter which riding they live in. After tonight, the next and final opportunity is general voting day on Saturday, October 24.
🗓️ Today is the last advance voting day
Elections BC ran six days of advance voting for this election, from Friday, October 16 to Wednesday, October 21, with every advance voting place open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Advance voting is open to every eligible voter, and Elections BC says most advance voting places are wheelchair accessible.
The flexibility is the point. During advance voting, you are not tied to a single assigned location. A Surrey voter who works in Burnaby can vote in Burnaby. A student living away from home can vote near campus. The ballot you receive is for the electoral district where you live, and it counts the same as a ballot cast on October 24.
📍 Where Surrey voters can vote today
Elections BC sent a Where to Vote card to every registered voter in the province. The card lists the advance voting places in your electoral district, and Elections BC encourages voters to bring the card with them, although it is not required to vote.
If you did not receive a card, or you want the closest location to where you are right now, use Elections BC’s Where to Vote tool at wheretovote.elections.bc.ca. It shows advance voting places, district electoral offices, and the assigned voting places for final voting day. You can also call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
Voters can also cast a ballot at any district electoral office in the province during office hours, an option that remains open until 4 p.m. on final voting day, October 24.
🪪 What ID you need
Every voter must prove their identity and residential address before voting. Elections BC gives voters three ways to do that.
Option 1: One piece of photo ID
Show a BC driver’s licence, a BC Identification Card (BCID), a BC Services Card with a photo, another card issued by the Government of B.C. or Canada that shows your name, photo and address, or a Certificate of Indian Status.
Option 2: Two documents
Show any two pieces of ID or documents that both show your name, with at least one showing your current address. Neither has to be photo ID. The list is long and practical: a BC Services Card without a photo, a birth certificate, a passport, a utility bill, a bank or credit card statement, a residential lease, a property tax assessment, an income tax assessment notice, a student card or tuition statement, and even a provincial Where to Vote card all count. Electronic documents, such as an e-bill on your phone, are acceptable.
Option 3: Be vouched for
If you do not have identification, another person can vouch for your identity and address. The voucher must be a registered voter who lives in your electoral district, or your spouse, parent, grandparent, adult child, adult grandchild or adult sibling, or a person with the authority to make personal care decisions for you. The voucher shows their own acceptable ID, and both of you make a solemn declaration confirming your identity and residential address. A voucher who is not a relative or personal care authority can vouch for only one voter.
✍️ Not registered? You can still vote
Online and phone registration for this election has closed, but that does not shut anyone out. Elections BC confirms you can register in person when you go to vote, or update your address at the voting place. To vote in this election you must be a Canadian citizen, 18 or older on October 24, 2026, and a resident of British Columbia since April 23, 2026.
🗳️ Why today matters in Surrey
Surrey is one of the biggest prizes in this election. The city elects MLAs in 10 provincial ridings, from Surrey City Centre and Surrey-Newton to Surrey South and Surrey-White Rock, out of 93 seats across British Columbia. Several Surrey ridings were decided by small margins in the last provincial election, which means advance ballots cast today in Newton, Guildford, Fleetwood, Cloverdale and South Surrey carry real weight in who forms the next government.
Advance voting also suits how Surrey lives. Many residents commute long distances, work shifts, or juggle family and business obligations that make a single Saturday difficult. Voting today, at any location in the province, takes that pressure off. It also avoids the busiest lines, which traditionally come on general voting day.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I vote today if my riding is in another city?
Yes. During advance voting you can vote at any advance voting place in British Columbia. You receive the ballot for the electoral district where you live.
Do I need my Where to Vote card?
No. Elections BC encourages you to bring it because it speeds things up, and it can serve as one of your two documents under Option 2, but it is not required.
What if I miss advance voting?
Your last chance is final voting day, Saturday, October 24, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time. On that day you vote at your assigned voting place, listed on your Where to Vote card and in the Where to Vote tool. District electoral offices also accept ballots until 4 p.m. that day.
I requested a mail ballot. What do I do?
Completed vote-by-mail packages must reach Elections BC by 8 p.m. on October 24. At this point, returning it in person at a district electoral office or a voting place is the safe route rather than mailing it.
Advance voting ends at 8 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, October 21. If you are reading this after that hour, your remaining option is final voting day on Saturday, October 24.
Sources: Elections BC, “Advance Voting for the Provincial Election Begins Friday, October 16,” October 15, 2026; Elections BC Voter ID page; Elections BC Register to Vote page; Elections BC 2026 Provincial Election page, all at elections.bc.ca, checked October 21, 2026.
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