Federal election polls closing earlier in B.C.

Voters will have no shortage of choices in the upcoming election, with 19 registered political parties to vote for. (CTV)

If the advance polls are any indication there could be a record number of voters in Monday’s federal election.

But in B.C., the polls are closing earlier than you may expect – and some voters may show up too late to have their say.

Polls will be open in British Columbia on Oct. 19 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., which means they close an hour earlier than municipal and provincial elections, where you can vote until 8 p.m.

Elections Canada has staggered the voting hours across the country so the majority of results are available at approximately the same time. Polls close later the further east you go, from 7:30 p.m. in the Mountain Time zone to 9:30 p.m. in the Eastern Time zone.

There are concerns that the earlier closing time in B.C. will cause confusion on Election Day.

Dorothy Sitek of Elections Canada says British Columbians will not be turned away as long as they arrive at the voting station by 7 p.m.

“If there’s a lineup, either outside the location, even around the corner, as long as you’re there before 7 p.m. you will be fine,” she said.

Employers are also required to give three hours of consecutive time off to vote.

Elections Canada estimated that 3.5 million Canadians chose to vote during four days of advance polls, which is up 71 per cent from the last federal election.

Half a million British Columbians have already voted in advance polls and a steady election is expected on Monday as well.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Bhinder Sajan