Heavy voter turnout at advanced polls across the country

Even though it was Easter weekend, voter turnout was heavy across the country on Friday and Saturday — the first two days of advance polling.

In Guelph, Ont., Scott Tracey of the Guelph Mercury, found 'Guelphites' voted in droves.

"Almost 5,300 ballots were cast on (Friday and Saturday), compared to 3,900 cast during the first two days of advance polling in 2008," wrote Tracey. "That represents a 35 per cent increase this time around."

In the riding of Hamilton Mountain, thespec.com reported voter turnout on Good Friday reached about 50 per cent of what they saw in all three days of 2008's advanced polls.

And, in Edmonton CTV found some voters had to wait more than two hours to cast their ballot.

Susan Friend, of Elections Canada in British Columbia, confirmed to Yahoo! Canada News that anecdotally it seems more people are voting at advance polls this year than in 2008.

"In talking with some of the returning officers it looks like, in BC, we are up 20 per cent (in voter turnout) from where we were in 2008," she said. "It's almost the same jump across the country."

Jim Lightbody, who works as a political scientist at the University of Alberta, says advance polls are a good indication of what will happen on election day. He told CTV these polls usually add up to eight to 10 per cent of overall voter turnout.

In 2008, 1,520,838 people cast valid ballots at advance polls nationally representing 11 per cent of those who voted.

Today is the last day for voters to cast their ballots at advance polling stations. Elections Canada will release official voter turnout numbers later this week.

(CP Photo)