Residents in communities like the Battlefords are slowly, but steadily, coming out to the polls on Election Day. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Time to vote

Election day turnout at a medium pace

Sep 20, 2021 | 3:30 PM

Voting remains slow, yet steady ahead of the 7 p.m. deadline of the 2021 Federal Election.

Multiple polling stations scattered throughout communities like the Battlefords, Lloydminster and Meadow Lake have yet to see a surge of voters, but have at least one or two people in at polling stations since they opened this morning. Alicia Johnson, a Battlefords voter, cited the plans for tackling COVID-19 and other health care issues as her primary driver for picking a candidate.

“Given COVID is ramping up and I’m a health care worker, that is a very important part of why I’ve chosen what I’ve chosen on election day,” she said.

Johnson said her experience at the polls was a smooth one, with no issues voting and next to no wait time.

“It was very quick and easy,” she said. “Lots of help if you needed it.”

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Another Battlefords voter, Walter Prystupa, said accountability was the biggest issue for himself and other residents he’s talked to in the past few weeks.

“Too many promises that aren’t kept,” he said.

High turnout at advance polls and mail-in and special ballots likely influenced the numbers for election day. As of Monday morning, Elections Canada reported 1,467 returned ballots in the Battlefords, out of 1,847, while the Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River had 1,093 out of 1,246 returned ballots. Across Canada, a total of 951,039 mail-in or special ballots have been returned with more than 200,000 that have not been added to the total.

A poll worker at the Don Ross Centre in North Battleford told battlefordsNOW that while there haven’t been large lineups, it has been steady since the polls opened this morning.

“We had at least 300 people by noon,” he said. “Halfway through the day, but there’s lots of time.”

He added that they are expecting a surge in the evening.

“By supper at least, we usually get a lineup in time for 5 p.m.”

For more information on voting, go to elections.ca. Results will begin to be available after 5 pm. (MT).

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW