TIMMINS - Fewer people voted early in the Ontario election.
Elections Ontario has released the advance poll numbers.
In Timmins, 2,117 people voted early, which represents 6.4 per cent of eligible voters. That's a drop from 2022, when 11.7 per cent of voters took advantage of advance polls. This election, there were three days of advance polls, whereas there were 10 days in 2022.
In Mushkegowuk-James Bay, 851 people representing 4.58 per cent of eligible voters turned up at advance polls. With 3,261 voters in Timiskaming-Cochrane, that riding's early voting turnout was 6.64 per cent.
Across the province, 678,789 of eligible voters in Ontario voted during the three days of early polling. That number represents 6.14 per cent of voters.
It's a drop from the two previous elections, in 2022 9.92 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot early. In 2018, 6.8 per cent of voters took advantage of the five days of early polls.
There is still time to vote in person ahead of election day on Feb. 27.
People can vote at the Timmins election office in the 101 Mall, 120-38 Pine St. N. It's open today (Feb. 25) until 8 p.m. and Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for voting.
The Timmins candidates are Liberal Dominic Casto, New Blue David Farrell, NDP Corey Lepage, PC George Pirie, and Green Marie-Josée Yelle.
In Mushkegowuk-James Bay, the election office is located at Centre de Loisirs, 7 Aurora Ave. It's open for voting today until 8 p.m. and Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The candidates are Liberal Kyle Allen, NDP Guy Bourgouin, Green Catherine Jones and PC Dave Plourde.
The Timiskaming-Cochrane election office is at Collège Boréal, 280 Armstrong St. N., New Liskeard. It's open for voting today until 8 p.m. and Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The candidates are PC Tory Delaurier, Liberal Rick Ellsmere, New Blue Stephen MacLeod, Green Kris Rivard, and NDP John Vanthof.
To vote, you'll need your voter information card that you should receive in the mail and a piece of ID showing your name. More details on what to bring are available here.
On election day, polls are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
