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Local advance polls reporting higher turnout on first day

Apr 10, 2019 | 4:03 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Advance polls have been open for one day, and Elections Alberta is reporting high turnouts.

The organization released first day numbers, showing approximately 140,000 people across Alberta casting ballots at advance polls, up from 58,000 during the first day of advance polls in the 2015 election.

Numbers have also been up in the two local ridings, Cypress-Medicine Hat and Brooks-Medicine Hat.

According to Allan Bloomfield, the returning officer for Cypress-Medicine Hat, 1,241 voters used the advance poll on Tuesday. To put it in perspective, Cypress-Medicine Hat had a total of 1,500 voters use the advance poll during the 2015 election.

Bloomfield adds the numbers in Medicine Hat remain in line with the rest of the province.

“For the first day of advance polls, there are three times as many people that have voted last time at the advance polls in 2015, so there’s there’s been a terrific turnout in that regard,” he said. “It’s a historic turnout for first day of advance polls in the province.”

He added by 11 a.m. on Wednesday, approximately 200 people had come in to vote in Cypress-Medicine Hat.

Bloomfield says he believes the convenience of the advance poll, and the decision to allow voters in any riding to vote at any advance poll, was helping increase turnout.

“Close to 150 people from outside the riding were casting their ballots,” he said.

Daphne Anstey-Martin, the returning officer for the Brooks-Medicine Hat riding, reported approximately 1,500 voters at their three polling stations.

Advance polls run until Saturday.

Information on poll locations can be found below.

-Brooks-Medicine Hat

-Cypress-Medicine Hat