More Manitobans cast ballots in advance polls this year than during previous provincial elections.
According to Elections Manitoba, more than 113,000 people cast their ballots during the eight days of advance polling before election day. That number includes people who cast absentee ballots and votes from people who are homebound.
During the 2016 provincial election cycle, around 110,000 people – more than 3,000 fewer than this year – cast their vote before the designated election day. Back in 2011, fewer than 80,000 people cast votes in advanced polls.
Advance polls took place in Flin Flon, Cranberry Portage, Snow Lake, Cross Lake, Norway House, Lynn Lake, O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, Leaf Rapids, Pukatawagan, Tadoule Lake, Brochet and Lac Brochet.
Riding-by-riding breakdowns of advance voting have not been made available.
Voting continues today until 8 p.m. Manitoba time. In order to cast their ballot, voters will need either one piece of government-issued photo ID, like a driver’s license, treaty card or passport, or two documents that include the voter’s name, including a Manitoba Health card, Social Insurance card, a credit card or a utility bill. Voters already on a voters list who do not have ID can have another voter with ID vouch for their identity. Any voter whose name is not on the voters list will be asked to swear an oath.
Voters in the riding have four candidates to choose from: the Manitoba Liberal Party's James Lindsay, NDP incumbent Tom Lindsey, the Green Party of Manitoba's Saara Murnick and Progressive Conservative Theresa Wride.
