Ottawa voter turnout exceeds national average, but down from 2019

OTTAWA -

Preliminary voter turnout numbers in Ottawa's eight ridings are higher than the national average.

According to Election Canada, Carleton was the riding with the highest voter turnout in the city, with 70.26 per cent turnout.

Ottawa Centre was second with 69.74 per cent turnout. Nepean was third with 66.23 per cent.

Kanata—Carleton had a turnout of 65.48 per cent, Orléans came fifth at 63.57 per cent, just ahead of Ottawa West—Nepean at 63.46 per cent. Ottawa South's preliminary turnout was 61.32 per cent and Ottawa—Vanier saw 61.19 per cent turnout.

Across all eight ridings, the average voter turnout in Ottawa was 65.16 per cent according to preliminary results, with 99.53 per cent of polls reporting. This is higher than the national average of 58.44 per cent.

These are early figures, which are bound to change as the final official totals are recorded. Elections Canada says voter turnout is calculated by dividing the number of valid votes by the number of electors registered to vote. The number of registered electors in these data does not include electors who registered on election day.

The official national turnout in 2019 was 67 per cent and the official average turnout across the eight Ottawa ridings was 74.8 per cent.

Voters around eastern Ontario were also largely motivated, with turnout in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell at 64.64 per cent, Hastings—Lennox and Addington at 61.69 per cent, Kingston and the Islands at 62.54 per cent, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston at 65.47 per cent and Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes at 64.57 per cent.

Turnout was generally lower across the river in western Quebec. Gatineau saw 59.58 per cent turnout, Hull—Aylmer saw 52.35 per cent and Argenteuil—La Petite Nation saw 58.07 per cent. Pontiac stands out at 62.26 per cent turnout.