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Elections BC has 4.1 per cent of referendum ballots

First ballots in vote on transit sales tax for Metro Vancouver went out only to Vancouver and Surrey homes
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Elections BC sent out 1.5 million ballots to Metro Vancouverites and they're now starting to trickle back in.

Just 4.1 per cent of ballots in the Metro Vancouver's transportation and transit plebiscite have been mailed back to Elections BC so far.

And of the 63,663 ballots received as of April 1, 54,437 are from Vancouver and the other 9,226 are from Surrey.

Elections BC has mailed out more than 1.5 million ballots.

Spokesman Don Main said ballots were sent out to homes in Vancouver and Surrey first because it was determined that would be most cost-effective.

MORE COVERAGE:Read our Referendum Questions series

No campaign spokesman Jordan Bateman said he's not reading anything into the initial count of ballots, because there wasn't enough time for ballots to be received, marked, sent back and counted in most of the region.

He predicted the numbers to be provided weekly by Elections B.C. won't be meaningful until at least late April.

Metro voters are being asked to approve or reject an increase in the provincial sales tax in the region from 7.0 to 7.5 per cent in order to fund a $7.5 billion package of mainly transit upgrades over the next 10 years.

The planned upgrades include a Broadway subway, light rail in Surrey, a new Pattullo Bridge, new B-line express bus routes across the region and a 25 per cent general bus service lift.

Anyone who has not yet received a voting package can call Elections BC at 1-800-661-8683 or go to elections.bc.ca/ovr to request one by May 15.