Voting

Can I vote?

You may vote in the election if you:

1. Are a Canadian citizen;
2. Are 18 years of age or older on general voting day;
3. Have lived in B.C. for the last six (6) months;
4. Are a resident of Dawson Creek; and
5. Are not disqualified by law from voting.

Are you a resident or non-resident voter?

You can vote in the City of Dawson Creek election if you live within the City (Resident Voter). 

If you own property in Dawson Creek but live somewhere else in British Columbia you may be able to vote in the election as a non resident property elector only if you meet the following requirements:

1. You are a Canadian citizen; 
2. You are 18 years of age or older on general voting day; 
3. You have lived in B.C. for at least six (6) months; 
4. You have owned real estate in Dawson Creek registered in your personal name (not in the name of a business or other entity) for at least thirty (30) days;
5. You are not disqualified by law from voting.

Non-resident property electors may vote only once, regardless of the number of properties they own. If there is more than one registered owner of a property, only one of those individuals may, with the written consent of the majority of the other owners, register as a non-resident property elector. If you have any questions about registering and voting as a non-resident property elector, please contact us. A person may register as a non-resident property elector only in relation to one parcel of real property in a municipality or electoral area.

• Landed immigrants or Permanent residents who are not yet Canadian citizens are not permitted to vote in local elections. 
• Corporations are not entitled to vote.

How do I register to vote?

The City of Dawson Creek has moved away from keeping the traditional Voters List and will now be using Same Day Voter Registration. This means that ALL Voters must bring two pieces of identification to get their ballot. Also, each voter will also have to fill out a simple registration form providing their name, address, and date of birth. 

See acceptable identifications to use for Same Day Voter Registration.

What Identification must I bring?

To register to vote as a resident elector, you will need any TWO of the following identification documents showing residency and identity. Photo ID is not essential but one piece of ID must contain a signature:

• BC Driver's Licence;
• BC identification Card;
• BC Services Card;
• ICBC Registration;
• Citizenship Card;
• Social Insurance Number (SIN);
• tax notice;
• credit card or debit card; and/or
• utility bill

See acceptable identifications to use for Same Day Voter Registration.

*If you have only one identifying document from the list above, you may be able to sign a Statutory Declaration Form at the voting place which can be used as the second piece of identification that provides proof of residency.

Do non-residents need different identification?

At the time of voting you will need proof of property ownership and identification. Proof of property ownership may include:

• Property tax notice/certificate;
• Property assessment notice from BC Assessment;
• State of Title Certificate;
• Title Search; or
• Certificate of Indefeasible Title;
• If there is more than one registered owner of your property, you will also require
   written consent of a majority of the registered owners on title; in addition,
• You must supply two pieces of identification as listed above for resident electors.

For all the rules concerning general local elections, please refer to the Local Government Act, School Act, Local Elections Campaign Financing Act on the BC Local Government Elections website page for Voters.

How is ballot order chosen?

After the close of the nomination period, a draw is completed to determine the order of names on the ballot for the City of Dawson Creek Candidates.

The names of the School District No. 59 Candidates are listed in alphabetical order on the ballot, which is in accordance with their election bylaw.

Is the Voting Place accessible?

• The voting place is wheelchair accessible

Upper Lobby/Main South Entrance, Ovintiv Events Centre

• If you are unable to enter the voting place due to a physical disability or impaired mobility ONLY, you can request to cast your ballot via Curbside Voting.
  • Park in area marked for Curbside Voting
  • Call when you arrive
  • Have two (2) pieces of identification ready as evidence of identity and residency
• On all voting days and at all voting places you can:
  • Ask for help from an election official (they take an oath to keep ballots secret)
  • Bring someone to help you (they will need to take an oath of secrecy)
  • If there is no one available who can speak your language, bring your own translator (they will need to take an oath of secrecy)
• The City is not offering mail ballot voting for the 2022 Elections. This was provided during the 2020 by-election due to the restrictions in place during the pandemic.