Advance voter turnout in Hamilton up from 2018 election

Significantly more Hamiltoniansvoted in advance polls this year compared to the last municipal election, according to the city.

As of Monday, the city recorded31,719 people who have alreadycast a ballot in this year's election, eitherin personor by proxy at an advance poll. The 2018 election recorded17,052 advance ballots and the 2014 race saw13,242 people vote in advance. The overall voter turnout for that election was 38 per cent of eligible voters.

The city's population has grown since the last election in 2021, according to Statistics Canada, there were569,353 residents, up from536,917 in 2016.

The rise in advance poll voter turnout in Hamilton is in contrast to cities like Toronto, where turnout fell this year.Between Oct. 7 and 14,115,911 Toronto voters cast their ballot, compared to the124,299 residents voted in Toronto in 2018.

Other voting options

There are still opportunities to cast aballot before and then on election day,Oct. 24.

There are special on-demand polling stations running Tuesdayat Mohawk College, McMaster University and Redeemer University from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There will also be on-demand ballots Friday for the specific communities that use drop-in sheltersand the urban Indigenous community.These polls are available at:

• Wesley Day Centre at 195 Ferguson Ave. N., from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Carol Anne's Place at the YWCA on 75 MacNab St. S., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Willow's Place at 196 Wentworth St. N., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Hamilton Regional Indian Centre at 34 Ottawa St. N., from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More than 3,000 people requested to vote by mail in this election.It is unclear how many of those received their ballots before Oct. 13, which was the deadline to return your ballot to the city by mail. Voters with mail-in ballots can stilldrop themoffin person at municipal service centres until Oct. 21 or atcity hall, until 8 p.m. on election day, Oct. 24.

How tovote

Canadian citizens theage of 18 or older will have to show an ID with their name and address to vote.

You're eligible to vote if you live in Hamilton, are the owner or tenant of land in Hamilton, or your spouse is either an owner or tenant.

Without an ID, citizens can still vote after filling out a Declaration of Identity - Form 9 at a voting location.

Citizens must also be on the voters' list. However on election day, names can be added on location with IDs in hand.

People without a permanent address can also vote if they can list the place where they've returned to most often to eat or sleep in the past five weeks as their home.

Advance ballotbreakdown by ward

The city's spokesperson Aine Leadbetter, manager of Elections Print and Mail,provided CBCHamilton witha breakdown of the advance polling numbersby ward:

• Ward 1: 1,883
• Ward 2: 1,517
• Ward 3: 2,104
• Ward 4: 1,811
• Ward 5: 2,340
• Ward 6: 2,439
• Ward 7: 2,635
• Ward 8: 1,807
• Ward 9: 1,558
• Ward 10: 2,911
• Ward 11: 1,745
• Ward 12: 2,912
• Ward 13: 2,489
• Ward 14: 1,803
• Ward 15: 1,765