Advance poll turnout in Summerside-Wilmot 'pretty much on target'
Friday is the last day for advance polls in byelection; regular voting happens Monday
Voter turnout in the last day of advance polls for the byelection in Summerside-Wilmot was a bit low Friday, but P.E.I.'s chief electoral officer expected it would be on track by the end of the day.
As of noon Friday, about 650 people had cast their ballots in District 21, said Gary McLeod.
That's about 17 per cent of the approximately 3,800 eligible voters.
Last day of advance poll
"We're pretty much on target. We'll have hopefully another 200 to 300 people show up today to vote," McLeod said early Friday.
Friday is the last day of advance voting in District 21.
The advance poll is at the County Fair Mall in Summerside, and polls close at 7 p.m.
District had low voter turnout in 2015
In the 2015 general election, just over 1,000 ballots were cast in the advance polls for the district — one of the lowest in the province, said McLeod.
"Hopefully we can turn that around and improve on the voter turnout for the byelection."
The byelection is being held to fill the seat left vacant when Janice Sherry resigned in August.
Liberal Chris Palmer, Progressive Conservative Brian Ramsay, New Democrat Scott Gaudet and Green candidate Lynne Lund are running for the seat.
The regular polling day for Summerside-Wilmot is Oct. 17.