Nova Scotians taking advantage of opportunities to vote early during pandemic election
Junior Barnes wasn't planning to vote Tuesday, but after speaking with us outside a returning office, he decided to go for it.
"I've made a decision, and the decision is to vote on the party that will give me what I need -- or not me, but everybody," Barnes said.
Helen Skidmore hasn't voted yet, but is planning to soon, noting she knows who she's voting for.
David Murphy is still undecided.
"A lot of times politicians will make decisions and you want to be absolutely sure they are going to do what they deliver on," Murphy said.
So far, more than 20,000 Nova Scotians have cast early ballots — nearly three times as many as at this point in the last provincial election in 2017. The early voting count is a sum of the ballots cast at returning offices, community polls, and the applications made for write-in ballots -- some of which may not be sent in, but once a person applies for one, it is added to the tally.
"Because more people are voting early doesn't mean that there will be necessarily a greater overall voter turnout, it just means they're coming out earlier in the election period," said Naomi Shelton with Elections Nova Scotia.
But she does believe the numbers show Nova Scotians are receiving their message to vote safe and vote early. Up until the Saturday before Election day, which is Tuesday Aug. 17, voters can vote at any returning office in the province.
Aug. 7 is the last day someone can apply online for a write-in ballot.
WRITE-IN BALLOT APPLICATION DEADLINES
The deadline to apply on-line or by mail for a write-in ballot is Saturday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m.
The deadlines to apply for a write-in ballot in person or by agent are as follows:
- Saturday, Aug. 14 – 6 p.m. (out of district)
- Tuesday, Aug. 17 – 3 p.m. (in district)
All write-in ballot kits must be returned before the close of voting on election day to be counted.
New Brunswick was the first Canadian province to hold an election since the pandemic began. More than half of the 376,903 ballots cast happened before Election Day through special ballots or advanced polls.
"Much like our counterparts in Nova Scotia, we took the approach of promoting and encouraging electors to take advantage of early voting opportunities," said Paul Harpelle with Elections New Brunswick.
A message that's being echoed in Nova Scotia and the early voting numbers appear to show that it's being heard.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.