Long lines at polling stations as Canadians turn up for advance voting | CBC News (2025)

Kevin Maimann · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 18, 2025 5:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: April 19

Canadians reported long lines as polling stations opened for advance voting on Friday.

Advance polls will be open again 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. nationwide Saturday through Monday, with election day set for April 28.

Some voters at polling stations across the country told CBC News early Friday they were waiting upwards of two hours to cast their ballots.

"I vote all the time and I've never had to wait for very long, normally. This is going to be an hour apparently," said James Knight, who was voting at Ottawa City Hall.

Knight said he believed the long wait was due to people's enthusiasm to cast their ballots, rather than any disorganization on the part of Elections Canada.

"They're tuned in to the election. It's a big deal for Canada, what's going on. So I think they may have decided to turn out early."

WATCH | Voters talk about showing up for advance polls:

The holiday weekend means many Canadians whowouldnormally be working on Fridays and Mondays have time off to get to their polling stations.

Their reasons for getting out early vary.

"The economy, that's probably the biggest issue for me," said Peter Xing, waiting in a line at a Vancouver polling station. "And just the whole world politics, I think we just need a strong leader."

Some voters told CBC News they were in line for more thantwo hours at a polling station in Vancouver's West End.

In St. John's, Carl Aylward said he was motivated by U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric about Canada becoming the "51st state."

"This is why I want to get out," he said. "We're not for sale."

Across Toronto, voters were also reporting lines up to two hours long, with some saying they've never seen such long lines to vote.

While some were heartened, taking to social media to callthe turnout "incredible" and "momentous," others complained about slow ballot processing.

At the southeast Winnipeg community centre, where temperatures were still below freezing when polls opened, Barbara Maguiresaidthe lineup was "already out the door" when she arrivedaround 9:15 a.m.

"This is a vital election for Canada, and I'm just thrilled to see the turnout this early in the morning," she said.

In Prince George, B.C., Tracy Larson said she arrived to vote at Trinity United Church with her husband at 11 a.m., and theystuck out a two-and-a-half hour linebecause they'll be out of town on election day.

Normally, she said, they'dbe in and out of the polling station in "10 or 15 minutes."

It was a tough wait for the couple, as her husband has mobility issues and uses a walker.

Larson saidsome elderly peopleweren't able to wait.

"There were a lot of people who, you know, they'd come up and they just turned around and left," she said.

Elections Canada spokesperson Dugald Maudsley told CBC News Network returning officers at some stations were bringing in extra workers to deal with bottlenecks.

"There's high interest across the country and it's busy at a number of the polls," he said.

Maudsley said a high turnout on the first dayof advancepolling doesn't necessarily mean there will be a high overall turnout, but many signs are pointing in that direction.

Last week, Elections Canada saidmore than130,000 Canadians had already voted by special ballot,more than double the number cast at the samepoint in the 2021 election. The agency issues special ballots to Canadians who don't want to wait until election day or for advancepolls.

Maudsley also said Canadians overseas have been asking for voting kits in larger numbers than ever before.

"Perhaps that means we'll have a good turnout on election day as well," he said.

For voters who plan toturn up for advancepolls, Maudsley says the best times to avoid long lines tend to be before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

He also suggests bringing yourvoter information card, if you received one in the mail, to make the process go faster.

On Tuesday, there will be voting in hospitals and other acute care facilities.Tuesday is also the deadline to vote at a local office and to apply to vote by mail.

Find information about where you can vote on theElections Canada websiteor by calling Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868.

WATCH | How to vote early:

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