As we move into September, British Columbia's provincial election race is heating up, and this year promises to be particularly interesting. With key issues like housing affordability, healthcare, and homelessness dominating discussions, several political parties are vying for voters' attention. Here's a breakdown of what’s happening:

A Tight Race: BC Conservatives Lead in the Polls

For the first time, the BC Conservative Party, led by John Rustad, is ahead in the polls. In August, a survey revealed that the Conservatives have 39% support among decided voters, putting them ahead of Premier David Eby's New Democratic Party (NDP), which holds 36%. This marks a big shift, as the BC NDP has been the dominant party for years(Research Co.)(Daily Hive Vancouver).

What’s Behind the Surge?

The rise of the BC Conservatives seems to come at the expense of Kevin Falcon’s BC United party (formerly BC Liberals). BC United is polling at just 12%, with many of its former supporters now aligning with the Conservatives. Rustad has gained significant support by appealing to voters frustrated with the current government and concerned about issues like housing and crime. There’s also a broader trend where the rise of federal Conservative popularity appears to be boosting the provincial party(Daily Hive Vancouver).

Key Issues Shaping the Election

1. Housing Affordability: The NDP has been focused on increasing housing supply and addressing affordability, especially in Vancouver. However, high costs continue to be a concern.

2. Healthcare: Wait times and resource shortages in the healthcare system are front and center in voters' minds. Both the NDP and Conservatives are offering different solutions to these challenges.

3. Homelessness and Crime: A rise in homelessness and public safety concerns, particularly in urban areas, has fueled debate over government policies. The Conservatives are positioning themselves as the party to restore order and address these issues directly(Research Co.).

   
   

Latest Poll Results (September 2024)

Here’s a breakdown of the latest poll numbers from a Research Co. survey conducted in mid-September 2024:

Regional Breakdown:

• The BC NDP leads in Metro Vancouver (50%) and Vancouver Island (44%).
• The BC Conservatives are ahead in the Fraser Valley (57%) and Southern BC (51%)

These numbers show that the race between the BC NDP and the Conservatives is extremely close, making this one of the most competitive elections in recent years.

Key Election Dates

Make sure to mark these important dates on your calendar:

• Election Day: Saturday, October 19, 2024
• Advance Voting: From Saturday, October 12 to Friday, October 18, 2024
• Vote by Mail Deadline: Completed vote-by-mail packages must be received by Elections BC before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

For more details on the voting process, visit Elections BC.

Check Your District

Not sure where to vote or which candidates are running in your area? Use the district search tool at My District to find all the information you need for your voting location.

What's Next?

As the October election nears, expect more debates, policy announcements, and potentially shifting poll numbers. The NDP is still strong in urban areas like Vancouver, but the Conservatives are gaining ground in other parts of the province. The Green Party, led by Sonia Furstenau, remains a contender, though with less influence than the main two parties.

With just weeks to go before the vote, it’s clear that this election will be one of the most competitive BC has seen in years. Stay tuned for updates as September unfolds!

隨著 9 月來臨，卑詩省的選舉競爭愈演愈烈。今年的選舉尤為引人注目，房屋可負擔性、醫療保健及無家可歸問題等核心議題主導了討論，各大政黨都在爭奪選民的支持。以下是目前選情的概況：

競爭激烈：卑詩保守黨領先民調

卑詩保守黨由約翰·拉斯塔德（John Rustad）領導，在最近的民調中首次超越了卑詩新民主黨（NDP）。8 月份的一項調查顯示，保守黨獲得 39% 的支持率，而新民主黨則為 36%。這標誌著卑詩新民主黨多年來的首次重大挑戰(Research Co.)。

保守黨崛起的原因

卑詩保守黨的崛起似乎得益於卑詩聯合黨（前身為卑詩自由黨）支持率的下滑。卑詩聯合黨目前的支持率僅為 12%，許多選民轉向支持保守黨。拉斯塔德吸引了對現任政府不滿、尤其關注房屋和治安問題的選民。聯邦保守黨的受歡迎度上升也促進了卑詩保守黨的支持率(Daily Hive Vancouver)。

選舉中的關鍵議題

1. 房屋可負擔性：新民主黨專注於增加房屋供應，尤其是在溫哥華解決可負擔性問題。然而，高昂的房價仍然是選民關注的焦點。

2. 醫療保健：醫療系統中的等待時間和資源短缺是選民關心的核心問題。新民主黨和保守黨提出了不同的解決方案。

3. 無家可歸及治安問題：城市地區無家可歸者增多和治安惡化的問題成為了激烈辯論的焦點。保守黨定位自己為恢復秩序、直接解決這些問題的政黨(Research Co.)。

   
   

   最新民調結果（2024 年 9 月）

根據 2024 年 9 月中旬 Research Co. 的調查，以下是最新民調數據：

地區分佈：

• 卑詩新民主黨在 大溫哥華地區（50%）和 溫哥華島（44%）領先。
• 卑詩保守黨則在 菲沙河谷地區（57%）和 南卑詩（51%）領先。

這些數據顯示，新民主黨和保守黨之間的競爭異常激烈，這將是卑詩省多年來最具競爭力的選舉之一。

選舉重要日期

請將這些重要日期標記在您的日曆中：

• 選舉日：2024 年 10 月 19 日（星期六）
• 提前投票：從 2024 年 10 月 12 日（星期六）至 10 月 18 日（星期五）
• 郵寄選票截止日期：選票必須在選舉日晚上 8 點之前送達卑詩選舉局。

了解更多投票詳情，請訪問 Elections BC(Elections BC)。

確認您的選區

不確定您的投票地點或候選人？請使用 My District 工具查詢您所在選區的投票信息。

接下來會發生什麼？

隨著 10 月選舉的臨近，更多的辯論和政策公告可能會影響民調結果。儘管新民主黨在溫哥華等城市地區依然強勢，但保守黨在其他地區逐漸取得進展。由索尼婭·弗斯特諾（Sonia Furstenau）領導的卑詩綠黨雖然勢力較小，但仍然在部分地區具有一定的影響力。

隨著 9 月的進展，這次選舉將成為卑詩省歷史上最具競爭力的選舉之一，請密切關注更多更新！