Election 2025 — Windsor-Essex saw big numbers in advance voting

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Huge numbers of Canadian voters hitting last week’s advance polls, according to Elections Canada figures, could point to a historic rise in voter participation in this federal election.

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And the federal riding of Essex saw one of the highest early voter turnouts across Canada.

More than 7.3 million cast ballots during four days of early voting over the Easter long weekend, representing a 25 per cent increased over the 5.8 million recorded in the 2021 election.

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“I’m pleasantly surprised that we’re seeing a lot of engagement in this election,” said University of Windsor political science professor Lydia Miljan.

“It does seem to me that people are very engaged, and there’s a strong emphasis on social media. A lot of people are encouraging others to vote, so I expect a pretty good turnout on election day.”

The promising early turnout challenged Miljan’s concern that voter fatigue, especially on the heels of the Ontario election, might depress participation in the region.

“I would be cautious with those numbers just because it was over a holiday weekend, so people had a lot of opportunities to vote on Good Friday and the Easter holiday,” she said, adding that, “typically, people who are going to vote anyway go to advanced polls, so it is a convenience issue.”

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In southwestern Ontario, the Essex riding stood out nationally, with nearly 35,000 ballots cast early — the third-highest advance voter turnout in the country.

Chatham-Kent—Leamington recorded about 25,000 early votes, Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore just shy of 25,000, and Windsor West more than 16,000.

Early voter engagement locally, said Miljan, may be an indication of Windsor-Essex’s heightened sensitivity as a border region feeling the pain of U.S. tariffs.

“We are getting a lot of love from national media, so that makes people feel proud, but there’s also that whole sense of civic pride that’s come up this election campaign,” she said.

“I think there is a lot of motivation, because we have such a divided electorate. I think people on both sides of it are going to say, ‘I want my vote to count this time.’”

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Canada’s relationship with the United States and the rising cost of living are the two major issues driving voters to the polls, according to Miljan.

On Saturday, just two days before election day, the leader of the Liberals returned to Windsor, the city where the newly minted prime minister had launched his campaign five weeks earlier. At the foot of the Ambassador Bridge (the same location where Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford in January launched his successful reelection bid), Mark Carney pledged his party’s plan to build a stronger Canada.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a warehouse rally in Windsor earlier this month that drew thousands. He used the event to hammer home his economic affordability strategy.

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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who had earlier also visited Windsor on the national campaign trail, was back in the city on Saturday as well, attending Unifor’s Protect Canadian Jobs rally.

“I almost think that there’s two elections going on, and it is divided by class, by region, and by age demographics,” said Miljan.

“If you are an older Canadian who’s established and live in Eastern Canada, you’re thinking that Donald Trump is an existential threat, and it’s the tariffs. You’re concerned about that, and you’re putting your support towards the Liberals, and Mark Carney in particular, because he looks like he’s got the resume to deal with Trump.

“However, if you are concerned about the cost of living, and that seems to be the case for a lot of younger Canadians, especially those in Western Canada, but also in Ontario to some extent, the message that’s resonating with you is Pierre Poilievre’s.”

Canadians hit the polls on Election Day April 28. For complete local election coverage, go to windsorstar.com or pick up the Star’s Wednesday print edition.

mmazak@postmedia.com

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