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Oak Bay waits for advanced polling a reminder ahead of election day

Local voters share advanced poll wait times
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Advanced voting fit the bill as some Oak Bay voters looking to get a jump on the election experienced delays throughout the long weekend. (Travis Paterson/B次元官网网址 Staff)

With the election just a few days away, itB次元官网网址檚 unclear if the popularity of advanced voting means voter turnout will be higher for 43rd federal election.

What we do know is that Elections Canada confirmed an increase of 29 per cent in advanced voting, up from the 2015 general election. And while the regional numbers have not been released yet, many Oak Bay residents cast an early ballot.

Dozens took to social media over the Thanksgiving weekend to share their experience.

Paul McKibben posted that he waited well over 30 minutes at Margaret Jenkins Elementary between 3 and 4 p.m. on Monday afternoon. Emma Davidson wrote that she waited 40 minutes at Margaret Jenkins on the same day.

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Pat Battles was at Monterey by 12:15 p.m. on Saturday but despite a 30-minute predicted wait, she ended up waiting 1.5 hours.

B次元官网网址淪ome people left the line,B次元官网网址 Battles wrote.

If anything, the weekend waits should serve as a reminder for those voting on Monday (Oct. 21), said Elections Canada spokesperson for the region, Andrea Marantz.

B次元官网网址淭here are peak times at polling sites just like there are at many other places that offer services,B次元官网网址 she said. B次元官网网址淲e know that the busiest times on election day will be early in the morning, when people stop by on the way to work; at lunchtime; and after the workday is over. So we encourage anyone who can vote outside of those times, to please do so.B次元官网网址

In the meantime, Elections Canada is still processing the advanced voting numbers from each polling station.

Jill Ostick waited an hour at Monterey. Nancy Kostyrka did too, noting it was a real lesson for in how attitude is everything, she posted.

B次元官网网址淭here were people loudly complaining in outrage to all and sundry,B次元官网网址 Kostyrka wrote. B次元官网网址淭here were people patiently moving along and taking the opportunity to chat with strangers pleasantly.B次元官网网址

Kostyrka was most impressed by an older lady in a wheelchair with a service dog who declined an invitation to skip to the head of the line and who waited her turn with good humour.

B次元官网网址淚 took my hour wait as a lesson from the universe in patience and gratitude and mindfulness that I was voting in a free election when so many in the world could not.B次元官网网址

reporter@oakbaynews.com


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