P.E.I. advance poll turnout up 13 per cent

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — P.E.I. saw a 13 per cent increase in turnout for last week’s advance polls compared to the 2015 federal election.

Overall 22 per cent of P.E.I.’s registered voters, or 25,843, cast their ballot during advance polls over last weekend. This represents an increase from 2015 when 20 per cent of voters, or 22,929, cast their ballot early.

The increase in advance turnout could be an indication of competitive races in Island districts. Political campaigns tend to push their most avid supporters out to vote in advance polls. All districts are seeing three-way races between strong, well-funded campaigns from the Liberals, Conservatives and Greens.

The increased turnout could also be an indication that established political parties are simply getting better at turning out their supporters. The biggest increases in turnout were seen in Malpeque and Cardigan, where the incumbent Liberal candidates – Wayne Easter and Lawrence MacAulay – have held their posts for a combined 55 years.

Advance polls ran from last Friday to Monday. The totals released did not include students who cast their ballots at UPEI or those who voted at Elections Canada returning offices.

In Cardigan and Malpeque, close to a quarter of all registered voters voted advance.

Cardigan saw almost a four percentage point increase in advance voter turnout, from 20 per cent in 2015 to 24 per cent turnout last weekend.

Malpeque saw an almost identical increase, from 20 per cent in 2015 to 24 per cent last weekend.

Charlottetown saw a slight increase in turnout for advance polls, rising from 18 per cent in 2015 to 20 per cent last weekend. Egmont’s advance turnout remained almost identical to 2015, at 22 per cent of registered voters.

Across Canada, more than 4.7 million voters cast their ballot during advance polls, a 29 per cent increase from 2015.

[email protected]

Twitter.com/stu_neatby