1 week Ago By Brandon Sun
Over the past four days, millions of Canadians have voted in advance polls in ridings across the country. On Saturday, Elections Canada announced that almost two million eligible voters took the time to vote last Friday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
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99 a X percent off the regular rate. Over the past four days, millions of Canadians have voted in advance polls in ridings across the country. On Saturday, Elections Canada announced that almost two million eligible voters took the time to vote last Friday.
Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Opinion Over the past four days, millions of Canadians have voted in advance polls in ridings across the country. On Saturday, Elections Canada announced that almost two million eligible voters took the time to vote last Friday. It was a record number of votes cast during the first day of advance poll voting in Canada and, based upon reports of long lines at advance polls in ridings throughout Canada over the past four days, there is a strong possibility that the total number of votes cast this past weekend will exceed the record set during the 2021 election, when almost 5.
8 million Canadians voted in advance polls. At a time when many in government, academia and the media have expressed growing concern over trends toward lower voter turnout and engagement in the electoral process, the turnout for this weekend’s advance polls defy those troubling trends. In fact, the level of participation points to the possibility that the number and percentage of eligible voters who cast ballots in this election may exceed the number of Canadians who voted in the 2021 election, when 17,209,811 voters cast ballots for a turnout rate of 62.
6 per cent. Friday’s numbers can only be regarded as encouraging news, given the importance of the next government being given a strong, unambiguous mandate from voters to respond to the many challenges posed by the Trump administration and other pressing issues. Beyond that, the high voter turnout so far appears to also indicate that a significant percentage of voters are paying close attention to the issues at play in the current election campaign, that they understand the gravity of those issues, and that they feel compelled to make their voices heard in the ballot booth.
That said, we cannot ignore the possibility that the high turnout on the weekend could cause lower voter turnout than normal on election day, for several reasons. First, political parties have become very adept at successfully encouraging their confirmed and committed supporters to vote in advance polls in order to “lock in” those votes prior to election day. Second, Canadian voters have come to understand and appreciate the flexibility, convenience and shorter time commitments that are often associated with voting in advance polls.
With a growing percentage of voters arriving at that conclusion, however, it could potentially reduce the number of votes that will be cast on election day. Third and perhaps most importantly, there is the risk that many Canadians who have not yet voted may read reports regarding the high turnout this past weekend and, given the many national and regional polls that suggest the Liberals are headed toward forming a majority government, may decide there is no point in taking the time to vote in an election in which the outcome could already be a foregone conclusion. Liberal supporters may believe the party doesn’t need their vote, while Conservative, NDP and Green Party supporters may believe their votes won’t make a difference in the election’s outcome.
Those would be reasonable thoughts during past elections, but they may not reflect the realities of this election. That is particularly the case in many ridings, including here in Brandon-Souris. With Canada’s existence, independence and economic well-being all at risk, the stakes in this election are far higher than in most previous campaigns.
That has resulted in a much greater level of citizen engagement in the campaign, meaning that far more voters are paying attention to the issues and candidates, and are much more likely to vote. That should translate into higher voter turnout in both advance polls and on election day. National polls may point toward a Liberal victory next Monday, but they do not reflect the unique realities in many of the nation’s ridings.
Here in Brandon-Souris, for example, our long history of electing Conservative MPs ostensibly points toward another win by that party’s candidate, Grant Jackson. That history ignores the possibility, however, that strategic voting and the very low profile of the Liberal Party candidate in this campaign, Ghazanfar Ali Tarar, could enable NDP candidate Quentin Robinson to challenge Jackson for the win. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but the result in Brandon-Souris voters — and in every riding throughout Canada — will be decided by those who vote, not those who don’t.
If you wish to play a role in charting the future of this country, you can join the millions of Canadians who have already made that decision. You can make the commitment to vote next Monday. Advertisement Advertisement.
