VOTING BEGINS WITH LONG LINEUPS AND MIX OF OPINIONS ON CANDIDATES

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

PARRY SOUND-MUSKOKA — Voters lined up early today as polls opened for the federal election.

At the Gravenhurst Legion dozens snaked around the building onto Veterans’ Way.

Within an hour it was easy to walk in the back door and vote.

With more than 21,000 votes already cast in advance polls and with special mailed-in and walk-in ballots at the riding’s returning office in Huntsville the results won’t be fully known until at least tomorrow night.

When the polls opened at the legion in Gravenhurst this morning the lineup snaked down Veterans’ Way.

A random sampling of more than a dozen Gravenhurst voters’ intentions going in this morning showed some opposition to the government among those who volunteered their thoughts.

But there was slightly more who spoke openly in opposition to the vote, its political and pandemic timing, the government, housing and family supports.

Health care and seniors also dominated conversations when asked about how they feel about the election.

All lived in Gravenhurst.

Bill and Mary Hopcraft said the government is in a “difficult position,” but it won’t change their vote from 2019.

But Francine and Manfred Chlechter are switching away from the Liberals this time.

In part due to health concerns that have left him on the wait list for a procedure.

He’s 80, she’s 73.

She cited the cost of the election.

Dave Skinner came ready to mark his ballot with his own trusty pencil.

J.T. Phair said he’d be OK with a “(Justin) Trudeau minority.”

Rick Gold said he hadn’t made up his mind and was going to “flip a coin.”

For him housing and the vaccine concerns influenced his vote negatively.

He called MPs’ retirement packages “insane” and said politicians “should be paid $30 an hour” and then they’d do something.

Nicole Hrubenick has no problem with the election.

Don Cambridge said he, too, is OK with how the government has been handling the pandemic and vaccines.

One woman who didn’t have time to give her same said she has three young children and is thinking of the future for the family of five.

She said that may change her vote.

“There’s a lot of confusion.”

Vito Mirtocca, 72, was open and vocal about wanting a minority government.

Jeff Anderson has always voted Conservative and sees no reason not to again.

Anthony Adams, an original East Coaster, says he is voting differently, but didn’t say for whom he would cast that ballot.

Rogan Hampson was another Tory who plans to stay that way.

Doug Abernathy and Wes Trelevan seemed left-leaning, though OAS and the GIS were mentioned.

The pandemic was on Dave Skinner’s mind as he lined up to vote.

He said he was “not happy.”

Alison Fernandes called Trudeau “a weasel.”

Margaret and Colin Black like the prime minister and the government.

She didn’t like Conservative support for assault rifles.

“We don’t want to be like the U.S.”

Dave Munro is “100 per cent” not in favour of the government.

The PPC got Brandy Bonneville’s vote.

A PSW at Muskoka Shores, she said she’s not anti-vaccine and in fact has all her shots.

But she wants a “choice and change.”

Bill and Mary Hopcraft said the government is in a “difficult position” governing during the pandemic.

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O’Toole from Bowmanville