Canadians are reporting long lines as polling stations open for advance voting Friday.
Advance polls are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. nationwide Friday through Monday, with election day set for April 28.
Some voters at polling stations across the country told CBC News early Friday they were waiting upwards of an hour to cast their ballots.
“I vote all the time and I’ve never had to wait for very long, normally. This is going to be an hour apparently,” said James Knight, who was voting at Ottawa City Hall.
Knight said he believed the long wait was due to people’s enthusiasm to cast their ballots, rather than any disorganization on the part of Elections Canada.
“They’re tuned into the election. It’s a big deal for Canada, what’s going on. So I think they may have decided to turn out early and often.”
Advance polls open across the country
The holiday weekend means many Canadians who would normally be working on Fridays and Mondays have time off to get to their polling stations.
Their reasons for getting out early vary.
“The economy, that’s probably the biggest issue for me,” said Peter Xing, waiting in a line at a Vancouver polling station. “And just the whole world politics, I think we just need a strong leader.”
In St. John’s, Carl Aylward said he was motivated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about Canada becoming the “51st state.”
“This is why I want to get out,” he said. “We’re not for sale.”
Elections Canada spokesperson Dugald Maudsley told CBC News Network returning officers at some stations were bringing in extra workers to deal with bottlenecks.
“There’s high interest across the country and it’s busy at a number of the polls,” he said.
Maudsley said a high turnout on the first day of advance polling doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a high overall turnout, but many signs are pointing in that direction.
Last week, Elections Canada said more than 130,000 Canadians had already voted by special ballot, more than double the number cast at the same point in the 2021 election. The agency issues special ballots to Canadians who don’t want to wait until election day or for advance polls.
Maudsley also said Canadians overseas have been asking for voting kits in larger numbers than ever before.
“Perhaps that means we’ll have a good turnout on election day as well,” he said.
Well, if the advance polls in my area are indicative, we’re going to have a huge turnout for this election. Line up of about 40 people outside the door and another 60 inside. It took me an hour to vote.
For voters who plan to turn up for advance polls, Maudsley says the best times to avoid long lines tend to be before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
He also suggests bringing your voter information card, if you received one in the mail, to make the process go faster.
On Tuesday, there will be voting in hospitals and other acute care facilities. Tuesday is also the deadline to vote at a local office and to apply to vote by mail.
Find information about where you can vote on the Elections Canada website or by calling Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868.
How to vote early
