Nykole King
Regina Leader-Post
Advance voting was up across Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada heading into Monday’s federal election, with the Regina–Lewvan district reaching a 32.27-per-cent turnout to the polls.
Regina’s west riding had the highest percentage of turnout among all 14 electoral districts in the province with 19,869 voters recorded at advance polling stations from Good Friday through Easter Monday. That’s almost one-third of the people registered to vote with Elections Canada.
Other urban ridings followed close behind, with Saskatoon–University at 31.52-per-cent turnout, Regina–Wascana at 31.38 per cent and Saskatoon South at 30.08 per cent, according to preliminary data from Elections Canada.
This trend follows an uptick for the federal election across the country, with 7.28 million people showing up early to cast a ballot. Advance voting in Saskatchewan was up from the 2021 election, increasing 12 per cent to reach 206,754.
Carlton Trail–Eagle Creek was at 26.50-per-cent turnout, followed by Regina–Qu’Appelle (26.16 per cent), Souris–Moose Mountain (24.04 per cent), Moose Jaw–Lake Centre–Lanigan (23.90 per cent), Battlefords–Lloydminster–Meadow Lake (22.79 per cent), Swift Current–Grasslands–Kindersley (22.11 per cent), Saskatoon West (21.70 per cent), Prince Albert (21.35 per cent), and Yorkton–Melville (19.94 per cent).
The northernmost riding of Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River had the lowest voter turnout for advance polls, with 11.66 per cent of the riding’s registered voters participating early.
