03 October 2007

The advance polls

The top 15 districts in the advance poll, shown as a percentage of eligible voters who turned out in each district.

 

District Percent advance (07) Percent advance
(03)
Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi 4.9% 2.5%
Carbonear – Harbour Grace 4.0% 7.2%
Port de Grave 3.3% 4.7%
Exploits 3.3% 2.7%
Lake Melville 3.2% 2.7%
Humber Valley 3.2% 4.1%
St. John’s East 3.2% 2.5%
Torngat Mountains 2.9% 2.6%
St. John’s West 2.9% 3.6%
St. John’s South 2.8% 2.3%
Gander 2.7% 3.6%
Topsail 2.7% 2.9%
Cartwright – L’Anse au Clair 2.7% 2.1%
Labrador West 2.7% 2.8%
Mount Pearl North 2.6% 2.9%

What does it mean?

Well, your guess is as good as any.

One thing seems obvious, though and that is that the special ballot process likely hasn't replaced the advance poll turn-out.

Special ballots existed in 2003 and all parties used them aggressively. The advance poll turn out in this election was down 31% from the last time.

That actually reverses dramatically the trend from the previous two elections, in 1999 and 2003, where the advance poll turn out climbed each time.


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