Preliminary voter turnout in B.C. at 70 per cent

Elections Canada has released the latest voter turnout numbers in B.C., showing 70 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot Monday.

In the 2011 federal election, about 61 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, and only about 51 per cent of voters went to the polls in the 2009 provincial election.

Across the country, Elections Canada says about 68 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, meaning almost 17 million Canadians took part in the country’s 42nd federal election, making for Canada’s highest voter turnout since 1993.

Turnout figures are still preliminary.

Almost twice as many people cast ballots in B.C. in advance voting, which was up 96 per cent from the 2011 advance polls.

Across Canada, voter turnout in the advance polls was up 73 per cent compared to the 2011 federal election.

The Yukon boasted the highest turnout, with 76 per cent; the Northwest Territories were lowest, with about 55.