Voter turnout drops under 50 per cent in Manitoba's northernmost riding

Many ridings in Manitoba had voter turnout that was above the national average in Monday's federal election, but the two ridings that had the lowest voter turnout in 2015 dropped even more.

Nationally, voter turnout was 65.95 per cent of eligible voters, shy of the 68.3 per cent who cast votes when Justin Trudeau first swept to power in 2015.

On Monday, Manitoba had a 63.78 per cent turnout, falling short of the 67.9 per cent who voted in 2015.

The northern riding of Churchill-Keewatinook Aski saw about a 20 per cent decrease in voter turnout with 46 per cent this year. In Winnipeg North, the numbers went down about 10 per cent to 50 per cent voter turnout.

CBC Manitoba has been looking into low voter turnout in Winnipeg North, specifically one neighbourhood — Polling Station 135 — which had a 31 per cent turnout in 2015.

CBC News doesn't have exact data on polling stations this early, but many people on Tuesday told CBC News they didn't vote either because they didn't have time, they didn't have the right ID, or they didn't like the candidates running.

Selestin Niyongabo lives in Poll 135 and has never voted before. 

"I just didn't know the election was happening. I guess I had my mind somewhere else," he said.

The 21-year-old said he wishes he did vote, but he's not sure what would have motivated him to get to polls. Niyongabo  did say he approves of Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

"I don't really get into politics, but I like that guy, his attitude."

Low voter turnout due to lack of urgency, says Liberal incumbent

Kevin Lamoureux was able to keep his seat in Winnipeg North. The Liberal has held the seat since winning it in a 2010 byelection. He believes the drop in voter turnout reflected the urgency voters felt.

"In the last federal election, people were coming out in order to get rid of the government of the day. There was a stronger feeling that people needed to come out to make sure that Stephen Harper was going to be replaced," said Lamoureux.

"Even though there might be some people that are upset at different personalities in this last federal election, it was nowhere near the same sort of depth that was there in 2015 and that has a huge impact on voter turnout."

Lamoureux participated in CBC Manitoba's Operation Vote in Poll 135 before the election. He said he hopes to explore that neighbourhood and its needs during this next term.

"One of the things that came up at the CBC get-together was a couple of people were saying, 'You can't just get people off crystal meth, you've got to come up with a way that keeps them off of crystal meth,'" said Lamoureux.

"Someone had suggested the idea of why not have a cafeteria which employs people that were formerly on crystal meth. The point is that you get into communities and you often come up with ideas."

Elections Canada will have more information on voter turnout later this week.

Manitoba ridings and voter turnout:

• Brandon-Souris: 64.95%
• Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley: 69.61%
• Churchill-Keewatinook Aski: 45.58%
• Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa: 62.68%
• Elmwood-Transcona: 62.64%
• Kildonan-St. Paul: 66.6%
• Portage-Lisgar: 67.47%
• Provencher: 69.62%
• Saint Boniface-Saint Vital: 68.61%
• Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman: 67.36%
• Winnipeg Centre: 52.64%
• Winnipeg North: 50.08%
• Winnipeg South: 68.48%
• Winnipeg South Centre: 68.8%