Press Releases and Media Advisories

First Estimate of Turnout at Advance Polls Now Available

OTTAWA, Tuesday, January 17, 2006 — The Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, Jean-Pierre Kingsley, announced today the preliminary estimate of the number of electors who voted in advance on Friday, January 13, Saturday, January 14, and Monday, January 16.

According to the preliminary figures, 1,561,945 electors voted at the advance polls in this election. This is an increase from the 1,248,469 electors who voted in advance in the 38th general election in 2004. "A lot of Canadians took this opportunity to vote early," said Mr. Kingsley. "I appreciate the efforts of the election workers who dealt with the heavy turnout, and the patience of voters who coped with long lineups in some places to make sure their choice counts in this election."

Following is a breakdown of the estimated number of electors who voted at the advance polls, by province or territory and electoral district, for all 308 electoral districts.

Province/Territory Newfoundland and Labrador Number of Electors
10001 Avalon 1,985
10002 Bonavista–Gander–Grand Falls–Windsor 2,041
10003 Humber–St. Barbe–Baie Verte 1,202
10004 Labrador 483
10005 Random–Burin–St. George's 1,022
10006 St. John's East 2,862
10007 St. John's South–Mount Pearl 1,931
Total Newfoundland and Labrador   11,526

Province/Territory Prince Edward Island Number of Electors
11001 Cardigan 2,802
11002 Charlottetown 2,925
11003 Egmont 2,686
11004 Malpeque 2,830
Total
Prince Edward Island		   11,243

Province/Territory Nova Scotia Number of Electors
12001 Cape Breton–Canso 3,261
12002 Central Nova 4,427
12003 Dartmouth–Cole Harbour 5,860
12004 Halifax 4,795
12005 Halifax West 6,227
12006 Kings–Hants 4,810
12007 Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley 4,474
12008 Sackville–Eastern Shore 4,540
12009 South Shore–St. Margaret's 3,302
12010 Sydney–Victoria 6,096
12011 West Nova 4,305
Total Nova Scotia   52,097

Province/Territory New Brunswick Number of Electors
13001 Acadie–Bathurst 5,989
13002 Beauséjour 6,260
13003 Fredericton 5,504
13004 Fundy Royal 4,622
13005 Madawaska–Restigouche 4,672
13006 Miramichi 3,422
13007 Moncton–Riverview–Dieppe 6,533
13008 New Brunswick Southwest 3,451
13009 Saint John 5,039
13010 Tobique–Mactaquac 4,582
Total New Brunswick   50,074

Province/Territory Quebec Number of Electors
24001 Abitibi–Témiscamingue 4,339
24002 Ahuntsic 5,260
24003 Alfred-Pellan 5,737
24004 Argenteuil–Papineau–Mirabel 5,962
24005 Beauce 5,597
24006 Beauharnois–Salaberry 5,754
24007 Beauport–Limoilou 6,045
24008 Berthier–Maskinongé 5,382
24009 Bourassa 3,727
24010 Brome–Missisquoi 6,209
24011 Brossard–La Prairie 7,091
24012 Chambly–Borduas 5,766
24013 Charlesbourg–Haute-Saint-Charles 5,990
24014 Montmorency–Charlevoix–Haute-Côte-Nord 5,376
24015 Châteauguay–Saint-Constant 5,424
24016 Chicoutimi–Le Fjord 3,385
24017 Compton–Stanstead 5,936
24018 Drummond 2,985
24019 Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine 3,550
24020 Gatineau 6,485
24021 Hochelaga 3,608
24022 Honoré-Mercier 5,297
24023 Hull–Aylmer 6,357
24024 Jeanne-Le Ber 5,315
24025 Joliette 6,833
24026 Jonquière–Alma 2,854
24027 Lac-Saint-Louis 5,783
24028 La Pointe-de-l'Île 3,806
24029 LaSalle–Émard 4,214
24030 Laurentides–Labelle 6,659
24031 Laurier–Sainte-Marie 3,386
24032 Laval 5,073
24033 Laval–Les Îles 5,529
24034 Lévis–Bellechasse 6,085
24035 Longueuil–Pierre-Boucher 6,018
24036 Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière 5,983
24037 Louis-Hébert 7,916
24038 Louis-Saint-Laurent 7,093
24039 Manicouagan 2,477
24040 Marc-Aurèle-Fortin 5,458
24041 Haute-Gaspésie–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia 3,920
24042 Mégantic–L'Érable 4,715
24043 Montcalm 5,558
24044 Mount Royal 4,266
24045 Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Lachine 4,779
24046 Abitibi–Baie-James–Nunavik–Eeyou 2,512
24047 Outremont 3,839
24048 Papineau 4,206
24049 Pierrefonds–Dollard 4,854
24050 Pontiac 5,612
24051 Portneuf–Jacques-Cartier 6,054
24052 Québec 5,766
24053 Repentigny 5,071
24054 Bas-Richelieu–Nicolet–Bécancour 4,793
24055 Richmond–Arthabaska 4,277
24056 Rimouski-Neigette–Témiscouata–Les Basques 3,771
24057 Rivière-des-Mille-Îles 5,247
24058 Montmagny–L'Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup 3,516
24059 Rivière-du-Nord 5,124
24060 Roberval–Lac-Saint-Jean 3,450
24061 Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie 4,412
24062 Saint-Bruno–Saint-Hubert 6,355
24063 Saint-Hyacinthe–Bagot 3,653
24064 Saint-Jean 5,165
24065 Saint-Lambert 6,139
24066 Saint-Laurent–Cartierville 3,027
24067 Saint-Léonard–Saint-Michel 3,422
24068 Saint-Maurice–Champlain 6,088
24069 Shefford 4,415
24070 Sherbrooke 4,484
24071 Terrebonne–Blainville 3,797
24072 Trois-Rivières 6,074
24073 Vaudreuil-Soulanges 7,565
24074 Verchères–Les Patriotes 6,237
24075 Westmount–Ville-Marie 4,167
Total Quebec   378,074

Province/Territory Ontario Number of Electors
35001 Ajax–Pickering 5,324
35002 Algoma–Manitoulin–Kapuskasing 4,905
35003 Ancaster–Dundas–Flamborough–Westdale 8,856
35004 Barrie 9,047
35005 Beaches–East York 5,806
35006 Bramalea–Gore–Malton 5,483
35007 Brampton–Springdale 5,014
35008 Brampton West 5,839
35009 Brant 5,823
35010 Burlington 7,861
35011 Cambridge 4,743
35012 Carleton–Mississippi Mills 11,970
35013 Chatham-Kent–Essex 5,937
35014 Durham 6,771
35015 Davenport 2,909
35016 Don Valley East 4,027
35017 Don Valley West 6,595
35018 Dufferin–Caledon 6,283
35019 Eglinton–Lawrence 5,236
35020 Elgin–Middlesex–London 6,421
35021 Essex 5,917
35022 Etobicoke Centre 6,034
35023 Etobicoke–Lakeshore 7,185
35024 Etobicoke North 3,548
35025 Glengarry–Prescott–Russell 6,888
35026 Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound 7,884
35027 Guelph 5,994
35028 Haldimand–Norfolk 7,181
35029 Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock 8,147
35030 Halton 9,430
35031 Hamilton Centre 3,963
35032 Hamilton East–Stoney Creek 5,005
35033 Hamilton Mountain 6,207
35034 Huron–Bruce 7,908
35035 Kenora 2,301
35036 Kingston and the Islands 8,656
35037 Kitchener Centre 4,451
35038 Kitchener–Conestoga 4,716
35039 Kitchener–Waterloo 6,163
35040 Lanark–Frontenac–Lennox and Addington 8,908
35041 Leeds–Grenville 5,948
35042 London–Fanshawe 4,778
35043 London North Centre 5,583
35044 London West 7,530
35045 Markham–Unionville 5,723
35046 Lambton–Kent–Middlesex 6,588
35047 Mississauga–Brampton South 6,381
35048 Mississauga East–Cooksville 5,066
35049 Mississauga–Erindale 7,738
35050 Mississauga South 6,629
35051 Mississauga–Streetsville 5,369
35052 Nepean–Carleton 11,231
35053 Newmarket–Aurora 6,726
35054 Niagara Falls 5,969
35055 Niagara West–Glanbrook 6,437
35056 Nickel Belt 5,884
35057 Nipissing–Timiskaming 6,783
35058 Northumberland–Quinte West 8,472
35059 Oak Ridges–Markham 9,793
35060 Oakville 7,408
35061 Oshawa 5,242
35062 Ottawa Centre 7,802
35063 Ottawa–Orléans 8,554
35064 Ottawa South 8,071
35065 Ottawa–Vanier 5,657
35066 Ottawa West–Nepean 8,067
35067 Oxford 5,289
35068 Parkdale–High Park 4,897
35069 Parry Sound–Muskoka 7,524
35070 Perth–Wellington 4,961
35071 Peterborough 7,573
35072 Pickering–Scarborough East 5,364
35073 Prince Edward–Hastings 10,347
35074 Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke 8,109
35075 Richmond Hill 6,220
35076 St. Catharines 5,612
35077 St. Paul's 7,025
35078 Sarnia–Lambton 5,433
35079 Sault Ste. Marie 3,618
35080 Scarborough–Agincourt 4,144
35081 Scarborough Centre 3,842
35082 Scarborough–Guildwood 4,039
35083 Scarborough–Rouge River 4,073
35084 Scarborough Southwest 3,385
35085 Simcoe–Grey 9,463
35086 Simcoe North 7,082
35087 Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry 7,611
35088 Sudbury 4,313
35089 Thornhill 6,061
35090 Thunder Bay–Rainy River 3,649
35091 Thunder Bay–Superior North 4,022
35092 Timmins–James Bay 4,660
35093 Toronto Centre 5,321
35094 Toronto–Danforth 5,147
35095 Trinity–Spadina 6,788
35096 Vaughan 4,206
35097 Welland 6,849
35098 Wellington–Halton Hills 4,766
35099 Whitby–Oshawa 8,584
35100 Willowdale 6,052
35101 Windsor–Tecumseh 4,731
35102 Windsor West 4,062
35103 York Centre 3,753
35104 York–Simcoe 6,786
35105 York South–Weston 2,407
35106 York West 2,660
Total Ontario   651,193

Province/Territory Manitoba Number of Electors
46001 Brandon–Souris 2,161
46002 Charleswood–St. James–Assiniboia 4,493
46003 Churchill 2,381
46004 Dauphin–Swan River–Marquette 2,638
46005 Elmwood–Transcona 2,578
46006 Kildonan–St. Paul 5,007
46007 Portage–Lisgar 2,871
46008 Provencher 2,522
46009 Saint Boniface 4,198
46010 Selkirk–Interlake 3,616
46011 Winnipeg Centre 1,514
46012 Winnipeg North 2,304
46013 Winnipeg South 3,427
46014 Winnipeg South Centre 3,562
Total Manitoba   43,272

Province/Territory Saskatchewan Number of Electors
47001 Battlefords–Lloydminster 2,487
47002 Blackstrap 4,317
47003 Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River 2,071
47004 Cypress Hills–Grasslands 2,255
47005 Palliser 3,352
47006 Prince Albert 3,299
47007 Regina–Lumsden–Lake Centre 2,401
47008 Regina–Qu'Appelle 2,150
47009 Saskatoon–Humboldt 3,953
47010 Saskatoon–Rosetown–Biggar 3,015
47011 Saskatoon–Wanuskewin 3,602
47012 Souris–Moose Mountain 2,247
47013 Wascana 3,354
47014 Yorkton–Melville 2,982
Total Saskatchewan   41,485

Province/Territory Alberta Number of Electors
48001 Fort McMurray–Athabasca 2,773
48002 Calgary East 2,479
48003 Calgary Centre-North 4,737
48004 Calgary Northeast 1,982
48005 Calgary–Nose Hill 5,369
48006 Calgary Centre 5,122
48007 Calgary Southeast 5,906
48008 Calgary Southwest 5,070
48009 Calgary West 7,037
48010 Crowfoot 5,182
48011 Edmonton–Mill Woods–Beaumont 4,865
48012 Edmonton Centre 6,704
48013 Edmonton East 4,267
48014 Edmonton–Leduc 7,086
48015 Edmonton–St. Albert 6,077
48016 Edmonton–Sherwood Park 4,978
48017 Edmonton–Spruce Grove 6,304
48018 Edmonton–Strathcona 5,556
48019 Lethbridge 4,848
48020 Macleod 5,091
48021 Medicine Hat 3,411
48022 Peace River 3,687
48023 Red Deer 4,127
48024 Vegreville–Wainwright 4,410
48025 Westlock–St. Paul 3,755
48026 Wetaskiwin 4,330
48027 Wild Rose 5,868
48028 Yellowhead 5,480
Total Alberta   136,501

Province/Territory British Columbia Number of Electors
59001 Abbotsford 3,827
59002 Burnaby–Douglas 3,439
59003 Burnaby–New Westminster 4,066
59004 Cariboo–Prince George 3,785
59005 Chilliwack–Fraser Canyon 4,546
59006 Delta–Richmond East 3,999
59007 Pitt Meadows–Maple Ridge–Mission 5,219
59008 Esquimalt–Juan de Fuca 6,276
59009 Fleetwood–Port Kells 4,429
59010 Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo 4,967
59011 Kelowna–Lake Country 5,993
59012 Kootenay–Columbia 5,877
59013 Langley 3,830
59014 Nanaimo–Alberni 7,343
59015 Nanaimo–Cowichan 6,885
59016 Newton–North Delta 4,036
59017 New Westminster–Coquitlam 4,428
59018 Okanagan–Shuswap 7,565
59019 North Vancouver 5,648
59020 Okanagan–Coquihalla 6,567
59021 Port Moody–Westwood–Port Coquitlam 4,752
59022 Prince George–Peace River 4,239
59023 Richmond 3,807
59024 Saanich–Gulf Islands 6,814
59025 Skeena–Bulkley Valley 4,127
59026 British Columbia Southern Interior 4,383
59027 South Surrey–White Rock–Cloverdale 5,940
59028 Surrey North 2,536
59029 Vancouver Centre 6,706
59030 Vancouver East 3,086
59031 Vancouver Island North 6,942
59032 Vancouver Kingsway 3,653
59033 Vancouver Quadra 6,078
59034 Vancouver South 3,075
59035 Victoria 7,174
59036 West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country 7,404
Total British Columbia   183,441

Province/Territory Yukon Number of Electors
60001 Yukon 1,250
Total Yukon   1,250

Province/Territory Northwest Territories Number of Electors
61001 Western Arctic 1,207
Total
Northwest Territories		   1,207

Province/Territory Nunavut Number of Electors
62001 Nunavut 582
Total Nunavut   582

National Total 1,561,945

The following table compares the turnout by province or territory for advance voting in the 39th and 38th general elections.

Province or territory 39th general election
advance voting
(preliminary figures)		 38th general election
advance voting
(final figures)
Newfoundland and Labrador 11,526 11,420
Prince Edward Island 11,243 6,839
Nova Scotia 52,097 36,722
New Brunswick 50,074 38,267
Quebec 378,074 313,003
Ontario 651,193 519,735
Manitoba 43,272 31,531
Saskatchewan 41,485 35,845
Alberta 136,501 103,641
British Columbia 183,441 149,046
Yukon 1,250 973
Northwest Territories 1,207 892
Nunavut 582 555
Total 1,561,945 1,248,469

These preliminary figures are based on numbers reported by returning officers and are not final until all the votes are counted on election day and the results have been validated by the returning officers. The final results will be published in the official voting results following the election.

When it was introduced in 1920, voting at advance polls was limited to certain groups of voters whose work required them to be away from their electoral districts on election day. Today, it is one of several voting methods that may be used by any elector who wishes to vote before election day.

Elections Canada is an independent body set up by Parliament.

Information:
Elections Canada Media Relations
1 877 877-9515
or at www.elections.ca