HALIFAX — Less than half of registered voters in Nova Scotia exercised their right to vote in Tuesday’s provincial election, with a drop of 66,000 voters since 2021.
Unofficial data from Elections Nova Scotia indicates that only 357,048 registered voters, or about 45%, voted in this early general election which returned Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservatives to power with an overwhelming majority.
The number of Nova Scotians who voted Tuesday was down 10 per cent, or 65,664 voters, compared to the 2021 provincial election.
Alex Marland, a political science professor at Acadia University, says the numbers are “troubling and frustrating” but not a complete surprise.
Marland points out that the calling of an early general election, Elections Nova Scotia’s decision not to send out voter information cards due to the impending postal strike and the lack of suspense during the election campaign all contributed low voter turnout.
He says Elections Nova Scotia must now ensure that demographic groups least likely to vote – including renters, youth and low-income people – feel more inclined to exercise their right to vote in upcoming elections.
At 45%, the turnout rate in Nova Scotia is the lowest of the four provincial elections held this year in Canada. Nova Scotia is followed by Saskatchewan, British Columbia and New Brunswick.
Cassidy McMaccon, The Canadian Press
