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UPDATE: Polling places switched due to flooding, landslide

Kelowna-Lake Country, Boundary-Similkameen and Fraser-Nicola affected
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Flooding has forced voting station changes in Kelowna-Lake Country, Boundary-Similkameen and Fraser-Nicola as well as Shuswap. (Black Press)

Elections B.C. has made new arrangements for several B.C. Interior communities where polling stations and roads are affected by flooding, including a mobile team using a water taxi for residents affected by a landslide in Shuswap.

The door-to-door mobile team is visiting residents northeast of the landslide closure at Sunnybrae Canoe Point Rd. starting at 10 a.m. today.

Related: Police identify man presumed dead in Shuswap landslide

Voters in Kelowna-Lake Country, Boundary-Similkameen and Fraser-Nicola have been redirected to alternative voting places due to high water and road closures. Elections BC has set up a page for those who may have to change plans due to flooding conditions.

Elections BC reminds eligible voters that they can cast a ballot for their home constituency from any region of the province, and recommends taking your “where to vote” card with you if possible.

The trend toward voting in advance polls continued with record turnout of more than 614,000 people voting early. That’s up from 367,000 in 2013 and 290,000 in the 2009 B.C. election. Advance voting stations attracted lineups in some places while they operated, April 29-30 and May 3-6.

Voting by mail has also been available since the campaign formally began April 11.

Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters must show identification, one of driver’s licence, B.C. identification card or B.C. Services Card. If no photo identification, voters can present two documents such as utility bills that show their name. At least one must show the address.

There are just over three million people eligible to vote in 2017, and based on the last two elections, about half of them will take the time to vote.