Elections Canada announces record turnout on first day of advance voting

Election Canada has announced preliminary estimates that amusement astir 2 cardinal electors voted Friday, the archetypal time of beforehand polls.

Representatives of the non-partisan bureau said that's a grounds turnout.

The announcement, which was posted connected societal media Saturday afternoon, came aft Canadians reported agelong lines crossed the state connected Friday. Some told CBC News connected Friday they waited much than 2 hours to formed their ballots.

François Enguehard, a determination media advisor successful the Atlantic portion for Elections Canada, said the turnout is up 36 per cent from the archetypal time of beforehand polling in the past predetermination successful 2021.

"It makes america precise blessed due to the fact that that's wherefore 250,000 radical positive each of Elections Canada staff — that's what we enactment towards," Enguehard said. "To spot the uptake is truly comforting for radical who person done truthful overmuch successful the polling locations to marque that happen."

Enguehard said it's excessively aboriginal to say whether the record-high turnout volition pb to higher elector turnout for the predetermination overall. But it is simply a motion that "people are engaged successful this predetermination and anxious to vote."

During the 2021 national election, astir 5.8 cardinal voters turned retired for for beforehand polls.

A full of 17,209,811 voters formed their ballots successful that election, representing a elector turnout of 62.6 per cent.

Canadians study agelong lines

"I ballot each the clip and I've ne'er had to hold for precise long, normally. This is going to beryllium an hr apparently," said James Knight connected Friday, waiting to vote at Ottawa City Hall.

Knight said helium believed the agelong hold was owed to people's enthusiasm to formed their ballots, alternatively than immoderate disorganization connected the portion of Elections Canada.

It was a akin communicative successful Metro Vancouver, wherever immoderate voters successful Vancouver's West End said they were successful enactment for much than 2 hours astatine a polling station. Meanwhile, a elector successful Langley, B.C. said she had the longest hold for beforehand voting successful her life.

WATCH | Advance polls unfastened crossed Canada for the national election:

"Hopefully it's a motion of things to come, and a motion of things for change," said Barb Stroll, who was astatine Douglas Park Elementary School successful the Metro Vancouver suburb.

Registered voters tin formed an aboriginal ballot astatine their assigned polling presumption betwixt 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. from April 19-21.

Voter accusation cards, which registered voters should person received successful the message by April 11, volition supply the determination of the assigned polling presumption for beforehand voting. Election time stations whitethorn beryllium astatine a antithetic address.

Registered voters tin besides hunt for their beforehand polling presumption present oregon telephone Elections Canada astatine 1-800-463-6868.