Most British Columbians should receive their referendum ballots on the harmonized sales tax by July 5 now that sa国际传媒 Post mail service has resumed, says Elections sa国际传媒
The independent elections agency says almost all of the roughly three million ballots it has mailed should arrive at sa国际传媒 households by next Tuesday. If someone is still without a ballot by the end of the following day, July 6, they can request one by phoning 1-800-661-8683, said Elections sa国际传媒 spokesman Don Main.
Elections sa国际传媒 had been unable to distribute ballots to millions of households because of a mail disruption and labour dispute at sa国际传媒 Post. The federal government has since passed legislation forcing employees back to work.
Acting chief electoral officer Craig James is still considering whether he should extend the referendum deadline, currently set at July 22, because of the postal disruption, said Main.
"It is being considered ... and he hopes to make a decision by Thursday," Main said Tuesday.
NDP leader Adrian Dix, who opposes the HST, has called on Elections sa国际传媒 to extend the referendum deadline to Aug. 5 to give people extra time to vote. Premier Christy Clark has said the decision should be made independently by James.
Most residents of Greater Victoria should have their HST ballots by today or Thursday, and the rest of the Island can expect them by Monday, said Main.
The ballots can either be mailed back to Elections sa国际传媒 - postage is pre-paid - or delivered in person to a Service sa国际传媒 Centre.
The HST referendum asks voters whether they want to scrap the controversial tax and return to the old combined system of provincial sales tax and federal GST. While economists have said the tax is good for sa国际传媒's economy in the long term, it does add additional costs on a variety of goods and services. The HST came into effect July 1, 2010.
The results of the mail-in referendum are expected in mid to late August.
