Acting Chief Electoral Officer Craig James has extended the timelines of the 2011 HST Referendum calendar.
"Under the authority of section 280 of the Election Act, I am issuing an Order to extend the timelines of the HST Referendum to compensate for the effects of the Canada Post labour dispute," said James in a media statement on June 30. "Two key dateshave been extended: the deadline to request a voting package is extended to midnight (local time) July 22, and, the close of voting is extended to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 5."
Voters in 71 electoral districts, including Powell River-Sunshine Coast, should expect to receive their HST referendum-voting package between June 30 and July 7.
Voters who do not receive a voting package may call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 (toll-free) to register to vote or update their voter record and request a voting package. The deadline to request a voting package is midnight (local time) Friday, July 22.
To be eligible to vote, you must be: a Canadian citizen, 18 years of age or older, on or before July 22, 2011, a resident of British Columbia for at least six months immediately before July 22, 2011, registered as a British Columbia voter, and not disqualified by law from voting.
Ballot packages must be received by Elections BC, a Service BC Centre, or an Elections BC Collection Centre before 4:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5. Locations to deliver ballot packages are listed on the Elections BC website at http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/referenda-recall-initiative/hst-2011/#return. The yellow return envelope is postage paid - no stamp is required if mailed in Canada.
Voting packages are provided in English. Translations of the voting package materials in 16 languages are accessible through the Elections BC website at http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/hst-ref-vp-translations/. A "Completing Your HST Referendum Voting Package" video is available on the Elections BC website at http://www.elections.bc.ca/index.php/hst-ref-video/.
For more information about the referendum process and the HST Referendum Voting Package, call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683.
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