Ontario’s latest provincial election saw the strongest voter turnout since 1999, with 58 per cent of eligible individuals casting ballots, according to unofficial results posted by Elections Ontario.

The Progressive Conservatives, led by provincial politics newcomer Doug Ford, won a commanding 76-seat majority. The NDP will form the Ontario’s official opposition with 40 seats, and the incumbent Liberals lost official party status, with just seven seats.

Elections Ontario’s results showed 99.89 per cent of polling reporting as of Friday morning. All results are unofficial until the official results are released. The registered electors on the Elections Ontario list total does not include polling day registrations.

This Ontario election marks the strongest voter turnout in nearly two decades, falling virtually in line with the 58.3 per figure in 1999, when former PC premier Mike Harris won a second term.

Elections Ontario figures also show more Ontarians took advantage of advance polls. An estimated 768,895 voters participated in advance voting, a nearly 19 per cent increase over the 2014 provincial election.

Voter turnout over the last 10 Ontario provincial elections

  • 2018 – 58 per cent *unofficial*
     
  • 2014 – 51.3 per cent
     
  • 2011 – 48.2 per cent
     
  • 2007 – 52.1 per cent
     
  • 2003 – 56.8 per cent
     
  • 1999 – 58.3 per cent
     
  • 1995 – 62.9 per cent
     
  • 1990 – 64.4 per cent
     
  • 1987 – 62.7 per cent
     
  • 1985 – 61.5 per cent

Source: Elections Ontario