Image: Google Maps screenshot / Voters in Popkum will have to drive nearly 20 kilometers to the Fraser Valley Regional District office at 45950 Cheam Avenue in order to vote in the municipal election on Saturday, October 15. There is also one more advance voting day on Wednesday, October 12.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Fall election

Popkum residents will need to drive nearly 20 kilometers to vote in Chilliwack municipal election

Oct 6, 2022 | 6:10 AM

CHILLIWACK — Whereas voters in Chilliwack city limits have the option of six voting day locations on Saturday, October 15, voters in Popkum and Electoral Area D east of town will have to hop in their cars or trucks and drive nearly 20 kilometers to downtown Chilliwack to exercise their right to vote, at one location.

Bill Dickey, the elected official on the Fraser Valley Regional District board who represents Popkum and Bridal Falls within Electoral Area D, says Popkum residents used to be able to make the short trip to the Popkum Fire Hall to vote in municipal elections.

Image: M. Vanden Bosch / Voters in Popkum and Electoral Area D used to be able to vote at the Popkum Fire Hall, but will now have to travel nearly 20 kilometers to the FVRD board office on Cheam Avenue in order to cast their vote in next week’s municipal election.

Not anymore.

“I have asked the Chief Election Officer about the choice of the voting location for the Popkum area,” said Dickey, who was recently acclaimed for what will be his seventh term over the next four years. “Whereas in the past residents could vote at our local firehall, it was decided to place the voting location at the FVRD office (45950 Cheam Avenue). This location was chosen because of concerns the firehall location would be complicated by local wildfires that were prevalent at the time the decision was made.”

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The official also had looked at booking one of the clubhouses at a local campground, Dickey said, but they had been reserved by the Trans Mountain Pipeline for construction needs.

Having to drive more than 18 kilometers to vote is not the ideal scenario Dickey would have envisioned.

“I would agree that the FVRD office location is less than ideal, but it seems we are going to have to make that work,” he said.

Since Popkum residents are outside city limits, they will only be voting for Chilliwack school board trustees. Their elected official, Bill Dickey, was unopposed during the recent filing and nomination period of August 30 to September 9 and was subsequently acclaimed.

by Mike Vanden Bosch

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Popkum residents will need to drive nearly 20 kilometers to vote in Chilliwack municipal election

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