The polls have opened in the B.C. election.

Voters were being encouraged by Elections BC to take selfies in front of an 鈥淚 Voted鈥� graphic in the hallway outside the station and post the image online with the hashtag .

It is the first time the agency has done this, inspired by a Saskatchewan example.

The aim was to raise awareness of the election and encourage people to vote.

It's a beautiful day to exercise your fundamental rights! Get out there and make your voice heard!

鈥� EFry Vancouver (@EFryVancouver)

Turnout for the advance polls was up this year, with 7,053 of the 40,077 eligible voters in the 91原创 riding casting ballots over six days, while in 91原创 East, 7,137 of 46,480 voted.

That鈥檚 up from the 2013 election, when 4,682 of 45,610 voted in 91原创 and 3,962 of 47,423 eligible residents cast ballots in the old Fort-91原创 Aldergrove riding.

However, there was only four days of advance ballots in 2013.

Province-wide, 614,389 of 3,156,991 voters voted, up from 2013, when 380,741 out of 3,116,626 registered voters decided to go to the polls early.

The polling stations will remain open until 8 p.m.

To find out where to vote, go .