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BC keeping HST vote schedule despite Canada Post lock out

Canada Post locking out its employees will slow the delivery of ballots for the mail-in vote on British Columbia's sales tax, but there are as yet no plans to change the referendum schedule.

While Canada Post employees had been holding rotating strikes in different parts of the country, the federal Crown corporation locked them out as of the evening of June 14. B.C.'s acting chief electoral officer, Craig James, released the following statement on the situation:

"Elections BC is continuing production of the HST Referendum Voting Packages to the effect that there should be no delay in getting the packages to registered voters once Canada Post service resumes. Canada Post has assured Elections BC that the voting packages in the mail system presently will be securely stored until postal service resumes.

"Elections BC and Canada Post will be meeting today to discuss ways to mitigate the disruption in postal service. No changes to the referendum timetable are being contemplated at this time.

"Voters who have received their voting packages can deliver their ballot package to any one of 60 Service BC Centres located throughout the province, an Elections BC Collection Centre located in Metro Vancouver, or to Elections BC's head office in Victoria. The locations are listed on Elections BC's website."

To be counted, ballots need to be received by Elections BC, a Service BC Centre or an Elections BC Collection Centre by 4:30 p.m. on July 22.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.


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