Elections British Columbia is recommending extending the campaign period for fixed-date elections and byelections by changing the timing of key deadlines. In their final report on the 2024 provincial election, Elections BC suggests shifting “writ day” and the close of nominations to Wednesdays instead of Saturdays as one of their six priority recommendations. This change would add three days to the campaign period.
The report also addresses concerns about political donors, highlighting cases of very young children making contributions, raising questions about their ability to donate independently. Elections BC warns that such situations could be exploited by others to bypass contribution limits.
Additionally, the agency proposes penalties for campaigning near ballot locations and stricter measures against advertisers who spread misinformation. It suggests enhancing the Chief Electoral Officer’s authority to investigate and address violations more effectively.
Moreover, the report recommends the establishment of unique identifiers for political contributors and accessing federal information on non-citizens to enhance voter list accuracy. It also calls for clearer guidelines on political party mergers, citing existing barriers in BC’s election laws compared to Alberta and Canada.