A federal snap election has been called by federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney, and it is unclear what voter turnout will look like for London ridings.
Matt Farrell, professor at Fanshawe College. (Fanshawe College/Twitter)
“I think it’ll be a high interest election, when you compare that to the provincial election we just had in Ontario that was a lower turnout event,” says Matt Farrell, elections analyst and professor at Fanshawe College.
With a range of public concern regarding United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs, taxes, and the cost of living, Farrell says this election will be different to the provincial election as it will “largely be driven by issues south of the border.”
In the provincial snap elections earlier this year, local ridings including London-Fanshawe, London North Centre, London West, and Elgin-Middlesex-London saw less than half of eligible voters participate for each district.
This is in contrast to the last federal election in 2021 that showed a wider variation, with voter turnout as low as 56 per cent in London-Fanshawe and as high as 68 per cent in London West.
Farrell also notes that growing support for the Liberals, based on public opinion polling, could hold implications for voter turnout.
With a 36-day campaign process, the shortest allowed by Canadian law, eligible voters will have until April 28 to decide whether they will be heading to the polls.
Information on the voting process, as well as what riding you’re in, can be found on the Elections Canada website at https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx.
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