The Ottawa-area riding represented by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had the highest voter turnout in Canada in last weekend’s advance polls, preliminary data shows.
A total of 43,394 voters cast their ballots in the Carleton riding during the four days of advance polling over the Easter weekend, according to Election Canada statistics.
Poilievre, who has held the riding since 2004, is running against Liberal Party candidate Bruce Fanjoy, NDP candidate Beth Prokaska, and Green Party candidate Mark Watson.
The riding also has one of the longest ballots in elections history with 91 candidates A total of 85 candidates in Carleton are affiliated with the electoral reform group ‘The Longest Ballot Committee,’ all under the representation of Tomas Szuchewycz as their official agent.
The group protests Canada’s first-past-the-post system by signing up as many candidates as possible in targeted ridings, with Carleton being impacted in this election.
Approximately 7.3 million people voted in advance polls held from April 18 to 21, Elections Canada reported. This figure exceeds the previous high of 5.8 million ballots during the 2021 federal election.
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After Carleton, the three ridings with the highest number of votes cast during advance polls are Saanich-Gulf Islands with 37,468 votes, Essex with 34,668 votes, and Calgary Crowfoot with 33,743 votes.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s Nepean riding came in fifth with 32,689 votes cast. Rounding out the top 10 are Ottawa Centre with 32,604 votes, Courtenay-Alberni with 32,536 votes, Burlington with 31,868 votes, Northumberland-Clarke with 31,357 votes, and South Surrey-White Rock with 31,269.
The advance poll tallies come days before Canadians will head to the polls in the country’s 45th federal election on April 28.
All voting locations on election day will be accessible for 12 hours, with operating hours varying by time zone.
Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland, 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST, and 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. CT with the exception of Saskatchewan where polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Provinces and territories running on Mountain Time will also be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. while those on Pacific Time will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Should early voter participation be indicative of the total ballots cast on April 28, Canada is likely to exceed the turnout of its last two elections.
Elections Canada data shows that only 17.2 million people cast ballots in the 2021 federal election. Voter turnout for 2021 was recorded at 62.6 percent, a decline from 67 percent in 2019.
