Polls are now closed in Calgary, here's how to watch election results come in

As of 7:30 p.m. MT Monday, polls are closed in Calgary and across Alberta.

Those in line before that time will still be able to cast their ballots. From the time polls close, it usually takes 30 to 45 minutes before results will begin to be reported.

However, some delays are expected this year due to a record number of mail-in ballots. Those ballots won't begin to be counted until Tuesday and could take days to be tallied, meaning close races may not be called until that count is complete.

Results for each riding will be reported as they come in here.

• Watch the federal election results as they come in

On Monday morning, polls were running smoothly. 

"Piece of cake, took about 30 seconds," said Michael Keegan Raynes after voting in the northwest community of Montgomery early in the day.

Conservative support has historically been strong in Alberta. The party won 33 of 34 seats in the province in 2019, with a lone Edmonton seat going to the NDP. 

• What the parties are offering Alberta this federal election

An estimated 196,303 Calgarians cast their ballots at advance polls this year, according to Elections Canada. That's close to the last election's tally of 195,231 in 2019.

Elections Canada has yet to break down the number of mail-in votes sent in by region. Those that arrive on election day will still be counted, starting on Tuesday. As of Sunday, 1,262,617 special ballot kits had been issued across the country and 923,832 had been returned.

Voting was slightly different this year due to the pandemic. For safety, electors were required to wear a mask inside polling stations. 

Polling stations provided single-use pencils, and there were also hand sanitizer stations and clear physical distancing markers. Election workers sat behind Plexiglas barriers. 

"It's just the world we live in these days, I'm used to it," said Tom Smillie regarding the COVID measures in place, after casting his ballot in Calgary on Monday morning.

While some lineups outside polling stations were lengthy due to physical distancing requirements, no significant waits were reported in the city before polls closed.

Lori Williams, an associate professor of political science at Mount Royal University, had said earlier it wasn't yet known whether the pandemic would affect turnout.

"There's all this uncertainty around safety in the pandemic and that's going to be very significant," she said.

• Get live federal election results and analysis with CBCNews.ca, CBC TV, Gem and CBC Radio. Find full details on how to watch, listen and read here.