While acknowledging that new rules introduced by the Quebec Director General of Elections (DGEQ) no longer oblige advanced poll voters to provide a reason why they can’t vote on the regular election day, Gerbeau said he doubted that’s why participation in the advance poll rose compared to previous elections.

“This year at the advance poll, you didn’t have to swear an oath, you didn’t have to explain why, but I don’t believe that the majority of people knew that,” he said.

A total of 662 Westmount electors, about 6.1 per cent, cast ballots in the advance poll. No elections are being held in two of Westmount’s districts (1 and 3). Council candidates there have already been acclaimed, as has been the mayor. Of the six districts where elections are being held, the advance poll turnout was highest in District 5 (9.8 per cent), where there are four council candidates.

“The most important contest appears to be in District 5,” Gerbeau said. “But, on the other hand, one must keep in mind that the advance poll took place at Victoria Hall, and one must remember that the Manoir Westmount is connected to Victoria Hall. So it was very easy for the people who live at the Manoir to take advantage of the advance poll.”

Although he noted that the turnout across Quebec was 5.25 per cent, he pointed out that in Westmount there was no mayoralty election. When there is no balloting process for the office of mayor, “normally the turnout goes down,” he said. “So we are above the average for Quebec, which is certainly interesting.”