[LINK] "Elections Canada says 3.6 million votes cast during advance polls"

[rfmcdonald]

I was quite pleased by CBC's report, and reminded of the marked increase in turnout in last year's municipal elections in Toronto.

Elections Canada says an estimated 3.6 million people voted during four days of advance polls running from Friday to Thanksgiving Monday, representing a 71 per cent increase over three days of advance polling in 2011.

The agency estimated that 1.2 million people voted on Thanksgiving Monday, 767,000 on Sunday, 780,000 on Sat

Voters complained of some irregularities with voter information cards, as well as insufficient staff and long lineups.

Some voters who were upset with the niqab debate wore face masks, and in at least one instance a potato sack to vote.

Under Elections Canada rules, electors are allowed to vote while wearing a face covering as long as they take an oath attesting they are eligible and provide two pieces of ID, including one with a current address.

The polls suggest that if an election were held today, it would likely be a toss-up between the Liberals and Conservatives. But with a week to go until election day, there is plenty of time for voting intentions to shift significantly.