Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

PARRY SOUND-MUSKOKA — With five candidates now — and two pending —Ontario voters can go to advance polls Feb. 20-22 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you can’t wait, visit the Elections Ontario returning office at the north end of Huntsville to cast your ballot till Feb. 26.

The office is open to the public Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. And Sundays noon-5 p.m. for voting and also to register. Electors may also be directed to their voting location and may register at that location on election day. Electors can also vote by mail. That deadline to apply is Feb. 21.

Election day the 78 polls are open Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. with more than 600 election officials, who have been training for weeks, at the polling stations for that one day.

See their website here.

Or call them toll free at 1-833-205-0110,

Returning officer Kim Bordeleau tells MuskokaTODAY.com today that the number of voters coming in to her office at 321 Muskoka Rd. 3 N. — former Shopper’s Drug Mart next to Tim Hortons at Hwy. 60 and near Huntsville’s hospital — has been “heavy, busy.”

On the ballot so far, alphabetically, are:

• Helen Kroeker – Ontario Party
• Brandon Nicksy – New Blue Party
• Matt Richter – Green Party
• Jim Ronholm – New Democrat Party
• Graydon Smith – Conservative Party

* David Innes, of the Liberal Party, is still awaiting final verification of his nominees. And another independent person may join the race tomorrow.

Candidates have until Thursday 2 p.m. to file papers, which require 25 signatures from riding residents nominating them.

After verifying those signatures, Bordeleau will quickly add a candidate’s name to the list of those running and forward the final list to her head office in Toronto.

Elections Ontario will have voter ID cards printed over the weekend and those will be mailed out to every eligible voter in Ontario for delivery by next week.

Bordeleau says the preliminary list of local electors to date is 81,270 electors.

That’s just under half the last two elections — which she said is due to people moving in and out of riding along with new first time voters.

With an election 16 months ahead of schedule and the first one in winter for decades, predictions are that the number of votes cast will be well down.

On June 7, 2022, there were 84,280 people eligible — with a turnout of 44,745 (53%) and 44,558 valid.

On June 2, 2018 registered voters were 80,180 — with turnout of 47,479 (59%) and 47,143 valid.

SEE 2022 RESULTS BELOW

PS-Muskoka riding profile:

25 communities

5 Towns of:

Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Kearney, Parry Sound

14 Townships of:

Armour, Carling, Georgian Bay, Joly, Lake of Bays, Machar, McKellar, Mcmurrich-Monteith, Muskoka Lakes, Perry, Ryerson, Seguin, Strong, The Archipelago,

3 Municipalities of:

Magnetawan, Whitestone, McDougall,

3 Villages of:

Burk’s Falls, South River, Sundridge

See NDP Leader Marit Stiles’ plan for North here.

See Smith’s video on hospitals here.

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