Voters in Saanich-Gulf Islands once again turned out at the polls more than most places across the country.
During Canada’s 42nd general federal election, 79.47 per cent of registered voters in the riding cast a ballot. That’s compared with the national average of 68.49 per cent.
By comparison, the 2011 federal election saw voter turnout of 73.8 per cent in Saanich Gulf-Islands. Nationally, the average four years ago was 61 per cent.
Taking a look at Elections Canada poll results (the source for this data — noting that the 2015 results are unofficial at this time), the Liberal Party of Canada won its majority government in Ottawa with 39.5 per cent of the popular vote. Finishing second, the Conservatives earned 31.9 per cent. The NDP took 19.7, the Bloc Quebecquois at 4.7 and the Green Party at 3.4 per cent.
Green Party leader and re-elected Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May took the riding with more than half of votes cast — 54.3 per cent, or 37,076 total votes.
Conservative Robert Boyd, in second, earned only 19.7 per cent, or 13,263 ballots.
Tim Kane of the Liberals, who was not swept up in the so-called Red Wave that swept the country Oct. 19, took 16.8 per cent (11,430 votes) and Alicia Cormier of the NDP, 9.1 per cent (6,181 votes).
Libertarian candidate, Meghan Jess Porter garnered only 268 votes, or 0.4 per cent of the popular vote in the riding.
In this election, nearly the same amount of registered voters cast a ballot as did in the 2011 race — 68,218, compared with 68,987 four years ago. However, since the boundaries of Saanich-Gulf Islands were tweaked prior to the election, there are 7,500 fewer total registered voters.
In 2011 the riding had 93,380 registered voters. This time, there were only 85,839 out of a total riding population of 104,285.