Fed_election_08-41

Jeff Green | Oct 16, 2008

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Scott Reid won the Lanark Frontenac Lennox and Addington riding in numbers that looked more like the kind of numbers Conservatives received in Alberta than Ontario.

With all polls reporting, Scott Reid had received 30,280 votes (55.9%). Liberal David Remington was in second place with 11,827 votes (21.8%), NDP candidate Sandra Willis was third with 7,140 votes (13.2%), Chris Walker finished fourth with 4,643 (8.6%), and Ernest Rathwell for the Marijauna party had received 363 votes (0.7%).

It was the third victory for Scott Reid in the third election since the riding was created in 2004. Each time his margin of victory and his share of the popular vote has increased. He received 48% of the vote in 2004, and just over 50% in 2006.

The Liberals have seen a corresponding decrease in support over that time. In 2004 Larry McCormick received 31% of the vote, and in 2006 Geoff Tuner received just under 25%.

Ross Sutherland received 13% of the vote for the NDP in 2004, and Helen Forsey got 16% in 2006.

The Green Party is the only party, save the Conservatives, who saw their support increase this time around. In 2004 John Baranyi received 4.8% and in 2006 Mike Nickerson received 5.2%, so the 8.5% (a 60% increase in voter share that Chris Walker received this time around represents a bit of a breakthrough, especially considering that nationally the Green vote was under 7%.

The total number of votes cast in the riding was significantly down from 2006. There were 54,253 votes cast in LFL&A this time around, compared to 59,524 in 2006, a decease of almost 10%.

Nationwide, the voter turnout was 58%, the lowest in Canadian history.