Over 44 community organizations in calling for advanced polling stations in the #DTES

Community organizations are crying foul over Vancouver’s advance polls, saying their locations exclude voters in the city’s east side — especially the poor living on the Downtown Eastside.

This year, Vancouver will have eight advance polling stations, providing eight days to vote ahead of Nov. 15. They’re part of a city strategy to encourage voter participation.

But with five stations west of Main Street and two to the east, Vancouver Eastside Votes wants to know why the city isn’t given equal opportunity to take advantage of advance voting.

Access is especially important for voters in the DTES who, facing mobility, health and financial challenges, cannot easily access stations in other areas of the city, said campaign organizer Rider Cooey.

“Those are the people in particular who would benefit from an advanced poll in their neighbourhood. And that’s precisely where there is none,” he said.