Advance polls spark interest

Voter turnout was strong in the Central Okanagan during the first day of advance polls for the Nov 15 Municipal election.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Bill Houghton cast his ballot in West Kelowna on the first day of advance voting for the Nov 15 municipal election

In Kelowna, 1,540 people cast ballots during Wednesday's first of four days of advance polling.

"Our first advanced voting day generated a lot of interest," says Chief Electoral Office Karen Needham.

"The advance poll at Parkinson Recreation Centre had a heavy stream of voters all day."

Three years ago, 2,063 people cast ballots during the first day of advance voting, however, there were two locations in 2011, the Parkinson Rec Centre and Okanagan College.

Voters in Kelowna who cannot vote Nov. 15 have three more days of advance polls available to them.

• Wednesday, Nov 12 - City Hall, Parkinson Rec Centre and UBC Okanagan
• Thursday Nov 13 - City Hall and Okanagan College
• Friday Nov 14 - City Hall and Parkinson Rec Centre

In West Kelowna, 401 people cast their ballots Wednesday.

There is one move advance poll in West Kelowna Wednesday, Nov 12 in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall.

The election for the Regional District's Central Okanagan West Director brought out 123 voters during Wednesday's advance poll, more than in the last two elections combined.

In 2011, 53 people voted in the first advance poll while 59 cast ballots in 2008.

There is one more round of advance polling Wednesday, Nov 12 at at the Westbank First Nation Office and the Killiney Beach Community Library.

All advance polls are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.