On par voter turnout an important outcome in pandemic election

Canadians should take satisfaction in knowing their government was formed by the will of the people, as opposed to apathy. With average voter turnout dating back to 2000 at just over 62 per cent, this year's turnout should be seen as a significant achievement given the pandemic, the protests, and a fairly lackluster election.

The count of special ballots from national, international, Canadian Forces, and incarcerated electors on Sept. 20, 2021, at the Elections Canada Distribution Centre in Ottawa. The average voter turnout for the past eight federal elections (including this one) dating back to 2000 is just over 62 per cent—that puts 2021 voter turnout right on par with the average, writes Pierre Cyr. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Opinion

BY PIERRE CYR

September 29, 2021

With mail-in ballots now counted, it seems about 17 million Canadians took the time to vote in the 2021 federal election. While some have decried the low voter turnout (62.3 per cent) compared to 2019 (67 per cent), in actuality these numbers indicate that voters had ...

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