MONTREAL – Elections in Quebec are known to bring out some of the most controversial debates, which encompass everything from language to separation anxiety, and 2012 was like all the rest.
But there was one significant difference.
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According to the Directeur General des Elections du Quebec, voter turnout in 2012 was the highest of the 2000s: at 74.6 per cent, it was 30 per cent higher than in 2008.
In fact, three Quebec ridings saw voter turnout of 80% or more.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Quebec provincial election ridings
Wondering which ridings have the most motivated voters?
Here are the top five ridings with the highest voter turnout in the 2012 provincial elections.
Borduas
Population: 71,810 / Electors: 55,933 / Voter turnout: 84.43%
Located east of Montreal in the Monteregie, Borduas was first created in 1992.
It is one of the most populous ridings in the province and encompasses Beloeil, McMasterville, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu.
Borduas has consistently voted in favour of the Parti Quebecois.
Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere
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Population: 71,785 / Electors: 54,662 / Voter turnout: 84.12%
Chutes-de-la-Chaudiere was first created in 1989, including the south side of the Saint Lawrence river from Quebec City to Levis.
The riding had always voted Parti Quebecois until the Action Deomocratique du Quebec’s Marc Picard took it in 2003.
He has since sat both as an independent and most recently, as a member of the Coalition Avenir Quebec.
Louis-Hebert
Population: 56,275 / Electors: 44,263 / Voter turnout: 86.57%
The riding of Louis-Hebert sits on the west side of Quebec City, outlining the cities of Sainte-Foy-Sillery-Cap-Rouge and Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures.
It was a Liberal riding for ten years until the Parti Quebecois took it in 1976.
It has since flipped between the two parties.
Currently, the seat is filled by Liberal MNA Sam Hamad, who is the Official Opposition Critic for the Capitale nationale as well as Official Opposition Critic for economic development and external trade.
Montarville
Population: 66,860 / Electors: 51,772 / Voter turnout: 87.66%
Situated on the South Shore, Montarville is a riding that saw its first election in 2012, giving its seat to the Coalition Avenir Quebec.
The riding actually broke the record for the highest voter turnout and had consistently done so, even as part of its former riding in Marguerite-D’Youville.
Montarville consists of Boucherville and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.
Vercheres
Population: 74,395 / Electors: 56,169 / Voter turnout: 84.14%
Vercheres sat as a Liberal riding for over 100 years when it was created in 1867.
However, it flipped to the Parti Quebecois in 1976 and hasn’t turned back since.
The riding encompasses Marguerite-D’Youville Regional County Municipality.
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