Election Day 2021: Londoners express 'voter anxiety' at the polls
Many Londoners headed to the polls with ‘voter anxiety,' as Canada's pandemic-era election reached the finish line Monday.
The anxiety covers a wide range of issues in this very different federal election. Much of it, voter Andrea Tonkovic believes, is pandemic related.
“It’s getting on people's last nerves. I feel that is the main concern right now. How are we going to be handling the pandemic in the future because it’s still not over?”
David Nielsen did not hesitate to vote because of COVID-19. But he did become concerned once he entered his polling station.
Nielsen voted inside a hotel conference room near Exeter Road.
He says it was too small.
“Well, it would have been nice if they had a bit more floor space, in there, it’s kind of hard to maintain your spacing.”
Beyond the logistics of casting a ballot is the issue of voting at all.
Some remain angry the election was called, while others predict little will change after the polls close.
“I don’t think so,” a woman exiting the polling station repeated to CTV News London.
Voter Agatha Friesen agrees.
“I’m hoping that another party that I’m voting for will have some gains, but I’m not sure about that.”
But her son, Wesley, 25, is hopeful the party he supports will pick up seats nationally.
“I think we might see a few ridings switch NDP. I’m hoping, but I don’t know for a fact.”
Voter Wesley Friesen in London, Ont. on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)
Other voters spoke of the impact the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) might have on seats across Canada, although none here believed the party might actually secure a spot in the House of Commons.
In the end, voters do not believe many ridings will change hands. But we did find one London senior who expressed faint hope the election might improve things in Ottawa.
“Maybe a little bit better. We can always wish for a little bit better,” she concluded.
Polls are open until 9:30 p.m.
Where to find voting information
More than 6.5-million Canadians have already voted in advanced polls or through special ballots, but the large majority will cast their vote Monday, including in London’s four ridings.
While there are several ridings in the region, the four ridings that separate London proper are London-West, London North Centre, London Fanshawe, and Elgin-Middlesex-London.
For a refresher on who the candidates are in each riding and those in surrounding counties please follow this link.
London garnered lots of attention from federal leaders during the election with four party leaders making points to visit the Forest City.
Elections Canada has said due to the large number of special ballots it could take some time to determine winners in some of the tighter races across the country.
In some cases they warn it could take up to four days, but most results are expected by the end of the night.
Polls opened at 9:30 a.m. in Ontario and will remain open for 12 hours.
For information on where and how to vote follow this link.
CTV London will have ongoing coverage of the election throughout the day and evening culminating in a special election broadcast at 11 p.m.
You can also tune into 1290 CJBK throughout the evening with local updates every half hour leading up to the 11 p.m. broadcast.
Stay with us for updates and results once they start coming in following the closing of polls at 9:30 p.m.
- With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.