Local elections seem to buck the provincial voter turnout numbers

Early numbers suggest voter turnout across the province continued to drop in yesterday’s municipal elections.

Preliminary data from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario suggest turnout was just 36 per cent across the 301 municipalities that held local elections.

That would be down from 38.3 per cent in the last vote in 2018, which was among the lowest turnouts since 1982.

Experts say voter fatigue after a provincial election in June and a federal election last fall are factors.

Numbers were better here than elsewhere. Perth saw a turnout of 46.1%, Smiths Falls 39.4%, and about 37% in Carleton Place.