Voters turn out in droves

This is a big night in Ontario as millions of us are voting today in an election that will decide the future of the province. Polls show anything could happen when the votes are added up. We could see another minority government with another party taking the lead, or we could have a majority. There are a lot of questions with few answers at this point, but in the next few hours it will all become clear.

The polls were fairly busy, especially around the lunch hour, but there wasn’t so much a steady stream of people as there were periods of activity off and on. Polling officials said they were impressed with the turnout that they had seen so far, but there were still many people today who have chosen not to cast their ballot.

Polling stations are open and people are ready to place their vote. In the Hamilton Centre riding, which has seen an NDP stronghold for nearly 25 years, not all voters see a need for change at the municipal level, but want one provincially.

“I’m voting NDP Andrea Horwath because it’s best out of them all,” said one voter.

Another voter had a different opinion, saying, “I’m voting for a party that’s not in there right now, but hopefully…I’ve got a Conservative sign on my land anyways.”

Said another voter, “I voted for the Green Party because I believe they do need a little bit more support especially as we need more conservation. I believe we’re starting to burn into the resources too much.”

Over in Waterdown, which is currently a Liberal riding, it’s a mixed bag.

“I voted for the NDP this year which is unusual for me, but really looking at the various platforms, on the Liberal side, couldn’t really trust them on their past experience,” said one voter.

“I’ve always voted Liberal and I always feel that’s the best position to take. No extremes,” said another.

Officials who have worked previous elections say the day is usually a lot quieter than the evening. They’re expecting traffic at the polling stations to pick up once people are finished their work day.