The craze for early voting was confirmed: in two days, one in five voters had already exercised their right to vote, a significant increase compared to 2018. But above all, this is the first time the bar has crossed 20%. This plan.
Posted at 10:07 am
Updated at 10:30 am.
According to data released Tuesday morning by Quebec’s Chief Electoral Officer (DGEQ), 22.92% of voters exercised their right to vote at the ballot box on Sunday and Monday, the two days reserved for early voting. 12.57% voters voted on Sunday alone.
In total, more than 1.4 million voters have already exercised their right to vote. In Quebec, this is the first time that the early voting participation rate has exceeded the 20% threshold.
In 2018, 17.93% of the electorate voted early, counting the votes registered on the same two days as well as at the campuses and at the returning offices in each riding. This is an increase of almost 5% compared to four years ago.
In 2014, most Quebecers voted early (19.27% of voters). But despite everything, the signs that the trend is growing are clear: in 2008, only 11.8% of the population went to the polls before polling day.
Joined by Press, the DGEQ indicated on Tuesday that it does not have studies that “make it possible to identify trends in voter behavior.” “We cannot say whether this is a vote displacement or an indication of overall participation to come,” said spokesman Gabriel Sauv-Lesiez, explaining the increase in early voting.
Quebec is still at the top
Indeed, voters in Quebec region ridings tend to prefer early voting. It was Louis-Hébert, with less than 39.50% of the votes already registered, who won the prize, followed by Lévis (33.77%) and Chauvet (32.53%), where the Conservative leader Eric Duhaime is trying to be elected. Vanier-les-Rivières (31.94%) and Charlesbourg (31.74%) complete Top 5.
“Increasing voter turnout is great news for democracy. This is, in general, a sign of a desire for change in the population,” responded Eric Duhaime on Tuesday.
On the other hand, the ridings of Ungava (6.96%) and D’Arcy-McGee (10.55%) had lower early voting. The ridings of Jean-Mans-Viger (12.44%), Acadie (12.66%) and Saint-Laurent (12.83%) also showed no interest in early voting.
Recall that Francois Legault, leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), also voted early Sunday in his riding of L’Assomption.
He is the only leader to do so, but normally, leaders of political parties exercise their right to vote on polling day, an opportunity for them to encourage voters to go to the polls. Cameras.
Those who are unable to vote on polling day on October 3 but still wish to exercise their right can vote directly at the offices of the returning officers in each electoral district. They are open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 am to 8 pm and on Thursdays from 9:30 am to 2 pm.
With Vincent Laurin
