Advance voter turnout jumps almost 19% from last Ontario election

Hundreds of thousands of Ontario voters aren't waiting around to cast their ballot in this year's hotly-contested election, according topreliminary figures released by Elections Ontario.

About 768,895 of 10.2 million eligible voters castballots at advance polls between May 26 and June 1,Elections Ontario reports.That's an 18.8 per cent increase from 2014, when anestimated 647,261 voters turned up at advance polls.

Advance polls are now closed. But eligible voters who can't cast a ballot on June 7 still have the option of voting byspecial ballot at a returning office or through a home visituntil Wednesdayat 6p.m. ET.

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Elections Ontario, an independent office of the Ontario legislature that's set to spend $126 million to run the 2018 vote, says new technology made advance voting easier this time around.

"We are very pleased with the positive feedback we have received across the province,"GregEssensa, Ontario's chief electoral officer, said in a newsrelease.

"We are modernizing Ontario's elections in a measured and principled way to give electors a better voter experience."

Elections Ontario said e-Poll books and electronic vote tabulators were used for the first time in advancing voting. An e-Poll book is an electronic version of paper voters' lists.

Technology said to be shortening wait times

At advance polls this year, voters would receivea ballot from an official, then fill it out behind a voting screen, using a black felt pen to mark an X in a circle next to the name ofthe candidate of his or her choice.

Then he or she would hand the ballot back to the official who would insertitinto an electronic voting machine.

Elections Ontario said the technology shortened wait times for voters at advance polls.

The number of electoral districts in Ontario has increased from 107 to 124 in 2018 and the change means some voters will be casting ballots in different locations or electoral districts in thiselection than previously,Elections Ontario said.

On election day, 50 per cent of the polls will have vote tabulators and e-Poll books serving 90 per cent of electors, it said.

Selfieswith ballots violatesecrecyof vote

The officeis also reminding eligible voters, in its frequently asked questions, that they cannot take selfieswith their ballots.

"Taking a picture of a completed ballot yours or anyone else's is a violation of theElection Actbecause it violates the secrecy of the vote," it saidon its website.

"It is also a violation of the Act to publish a photo on your social media channels or elsewhere of a completed ballot."

Voter information cards with details about when and where to vote have been mailed to registered electors. Voters are reminded to bring these cardsand one piece of identification to vote.

E-registration, the online service to add or updateinformation on the voters list, is closed for the election. Voters are able toadd or update information in person now when they go to vote.

To find out about identification required, go to Elections Ontario's page on ID Requirements for Voting.

To find out where to vote, go to Elections Ontario's page on Voter Information Service.