Record numbers voted in advance polls in Sask, Manitoba

Souris-Moose Mountain saw 20 per cent increase in advance ballots cast

October 20, 2019, 6:43 am

Prairie residents are obviously eager to vote in the 2019 federal election, with a record number of voters opting for advance polls in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

A total of 149,043 advance ballots were cast in Saskatchewan last week, a 55 per cent increase from the 2015 federal election.

In 2015, 91,891 ballots were cast early in the province.

This year, Elections Canada increased the polling hours and were polls open on the Thanksgiving holiday Monday. Across Canada 4.7 million advance votes were cast this year, compared to 3.6 million in 2015.

More people voted in advance polls in Manitoba as well, In spite of wicked winds, a dump of wet snow and power outages across southern Manitoba. More than 100,000 people in the province cast votes at advance polls over the Thanksgiving long weekend, Elections Canada said.

But the numbers likely would've been higher if it wasn't for the treacherous conditions, a spokesperson said.

"There is no doubt the storm did impact, but regardless of the storm, people did vote," said Marie-France Kenny, a regional media advisor for Elections Canada.

"Polls were closed totally in some areas… I'm sure if all polls had been open we'd have way higher numbers than that," she said.

"This is quite a high number considering the storm."

In Manitoba, 115,678 people voted in advance polls between Oct. 11 and 14, compared to 104,198 during the 2015 federal election campaign.

In Souris—Moose Mountain, the riding that includes Moosomin, Rocanville, Whitewood, Redvers and areas, 9,264 voted in the advance polls this year, up 20 per cent from the previous federal election.

In Yorkton-Melville, the riding that includes Esterhazy, Spy Hill, Tantallon, Langenburg and areas, 7,612 people voted in the advance polls this year.

Election Day is Monday. Regular polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Saskatchewan and).8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Manitoba on Monday.