Most in Waterloo Region did not vote

Lacklustre provincial election saw turnout drop to 45 per cent of eligible voters, early data shows

There were no real hotbutton issues that were really stimulating for motivating the electorate to come out.

WATERLOO REGION Voter turnout fell to 45 per cent across the region Thursday when roughly 40,000 fewer residents cast provincial ballots compared to four years ago.

This unofficial estimate will be revised slightly in a final count. It points to what may be the lowest turnout since at least 1990 in five regional ridings. And it points to what may be Ontario’s lowest-ever provincial turnout at 43 per cent.

“There’s part of me that isn’t surprised,” said Bryan Smale, a University of Waterloo professor. “There were no real hot-button issues that were really stimulating for motivating the electorate to come out.”

Smale directs the Canadian Index of Wellbeing. The index shows that people who engage democratically feel better about their quality of life.

Declining election turnout is a long-term trend and Smale wonders if some people are losing the desire to vote because they increasingly feel governments do not respond to their concerns.

“Most people support a democratic parliamentary democracy and they think it works well. What we do see declining is a faith in sitting governments,” he said.

Election Ontario’s unofficial count shows local turnouts ranging from a low of 42 per cent in the riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler to a high of 49 per cent in the riding of Kitchener-Conestoga.

In the 2018 election, regional turnout reached 58 per cent, slightly exceeding Ontario at 57 per cent.

Voters imposed little change on the political landscape in the region.

Three incumbents kept their seats. One incumbent was unseated in Cambridge. One open seat went to the same political party that won it four years ago.

“I was really surprised that the NDP and the Liberals really didn’t attack the record of the Ford government,” Smale said.

He wonders if the opposition parties wanted to run positive campaigns and not further exhaust voters who are fatigued by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A final count will include a small number of voters who registered late on election day along with a small number of ballots that were declined, rejected or unmarked.

BRYAN SMALE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO PROFESSOR

DAVID BEBEE WATERLOO REGION RECORD Voter Sean Reid leaves the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 126 after casting his ballot Thursday with his pet pig, Emmy, and dog, Snickers, in the Preston area of Cambridge.