WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local support for MP Michael Chong has dropped over the last eight years, but the longtime Conservative still garnered almost half the popular vote on Monday night.
Chong secured 47.7% of all votes in Wellington-Halton Hills, down from 50.8% in 2015 and from 63% in 2011.
Over the last three elections in the riding, support for the Liberal party has fluctuated from 16.4% in 2011, to 36.5% in 2015 to 28.3% this year.
The Green Party has made some gains in that period, jumping from 6.5% in 2011 to 8.9% in 2019, after dipping to 4% in 2015.
The NDP saw a similar trend in Wellington-Halton Hills, garnering support of 13, 8.3 and 14.7% in 2011, 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Fringe parties have never garnered much support locally, struggling to reach 2% of the popular vote.
Perth-Wellington
MP John Nater’s support in the Perth-Wellington riding was up slightly to 46.4% this election, after garnering 43% of the popular vote in his first campaign in 2015.
His predecessor, Gary Schellenberger, received 54.5% support in 2011.
Liberal support in Perth-Wellington was down significantly this year to 27%, after reaching 37.5% in 2015. The party had a poor local showing in 2011, with just 18% support.
The Green Party has made the most gains in the county’s northern riding since 2011, when it received just 4.6% of the popular vote. That figure fell to 2.6% in 2015 before rebounding strongly this year to 8.9%.
The NDP has seen steady support in the last three federal elections: 21.3% in 2011, 15% in 2015 and 14.7% in 2019.
Fringe parties have struggled in Perth-Wellington, hovering around 2% or less of the popular vote.
Voter turnout
Voter turnout in Perth-Wellington (PW) has typically mirrored the national results over the last three elections, while the turnout in Wellington Halton Hills (WHH) has generally been several points higher than the national average.
In 2019, the results were 66.2% in PW, 69.5 in WHH and 66% across Canada.
In 2015, 68.1% of eligible voters in PW cast a ballot, compared to 71.4% in WHH and 68.5% federally. The numbers for 2011 were 64.2% in PW, 67.3% in WHH and 61.4% across Canada.
