Record 7.3 million Canadians voted during advance polls: Elections Canada

An estimated 7.3 million Canadians — a record — took advantage of advance polls and cast their ballots over the long weekend, according to Elections Canada.

The non-partisan agency said based on its preliminary figures, that marks a 25 per cent increase from the 5.8 million electors who voted in advance during the 2021 federal election.

"We thank all election workers for their dedication and all voters for their patience," said Elections Canada in a social media post.

Advance polls were open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday across the country.

More than two million people voted on Friday alone, a single-day record according to Elections Canada. Voters reported long lines across the country, some telling CBC News that they waited hours.

Laura Stephenson, chair of the political science department at Western University, said it's too early to say whether the record advance turnout will lead to higher overall turnout this election.

Stephenson pointed out that more people used the advance polls in 2021 than in 2019, but overall voter turnout declined — from 67 per cent to 62 per cent.

"So I don't think we can yet say anything definitive about what's happening right now," she said.

It's also not clear what percentage of voters used advance polls compared to the electorate at large.

An Elections Canada spokesperson told CBC News it had roughly 28.2 million people registered to vote at the beginning of the campaign — more than the 27.5 million who were registered in 2021. But that number doesn't account for people who have registered since then, or will register in the coming days.

WATCH | Advance voting sees record-setting weekend: 

Advance voting sees record-setting weekend

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Duration 9:02

Advance voting ran from Friday to Monday, with polling stations busy through the long weekend as Canadians cast their ballots. Elections Canada‘s James Hale says a number of factors contributed to the massive turnout.

But Stephenson said the turnout over the past weekend still suggests more people are getting used to the idea of voting in advance.

"I think in general Canadians have just come to expect that advance voting is an option for them and it has become a more and more attractive choice," she said.

This year's advance polls were set up over a holiday long weekend, but Stephenson said that didn't necessarily impact turnout. More people voted at the advance polls in 2021 than did in 2019 — even though the latter was held over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Advance polls wouldn't advantage any particular party either, Stephenson said — except for a party that has a major scandal in the final stretch of the campaign because their advance votes would already be locked in.

"That can happen to any party," she said.

Elections Canada reported earlier this month that thousands had also voted by special ballot, which includes mail-in ballots and ballots cast at local elections offices.

During the last federal election, more than 17 million voters cast their ballots, representing a voter turnout of 62.6 per cent, said the independent agency.