Solid turnout at local polling stations, with about 68% of eligible voters taking part in the 45th General Election. Voters are seen entering a polling station at Living Hope Church on Monday afternoon.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
@MedicineHatNews
Voter turnout in the Medicine Hat region in the 45th General Election on Monday fell just short of the recent high, but came in well above other elections held since 1997.
A total of 54,095 votes were cast in the riding of Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner during advance, special and general voting that concluded Monday.
That equates to a 68 per cent turnout rate in the electoral district, which is considered to have 79,563 eligible voters.
Unofficially, with all 213 voting stations having reported, Glen Motz secured just more than three quarters of the votes to win a fourth term for the Conservatives.
Turnout had dipped to 61.4 per cent of voters in the 2021 election, down from 68.1 per cent in 2019 and 66.1 per cent in 2015.
The 2016 federal byelection drew just 44 per cent vote turnout, though such contests typically have much lower participation rates.
The number was below the 60 per cent mark in six elections between 1997 and 2011 (when the riding was previously configured as the Medicine Hat electoral district). That included a recent low of 46.2 per cent in 2008.
Unofficial results from Elections Canada announced at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, with all polls reporting:
X-Glen Motz (CPC) – 41,517 (76.7 per cent)
Tom Rooke (Lib) – 9,554 (17.7)
Jocelyn Johnson (NDP) – 2,588 (4.8)
Andy Shadrack (Green) – 436 (0.4).
