Lineups in Edmonton as federal election advance polls open

People line up to vote in an advance federal election poll at Edmonton's George P. Nicholson School on April 18, 2025. (Sean McClune/CTV News Edmonton)

Voters casting advance ballots for this month’s federal election lined up en mass across Edmonton on Friday, the day they opened.

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At George P. Nicholson School in the southwest neighbourhood of Twin Brooks, people in line told CTV News Edmonton they had to wait between 30 and 45 minutes in line before entering the school’s gymnasium, then another half hour before they cast their ballots.

At Mother Margaret Mary School adjacent to the Terwillegar recreation centre in the southwest, people in line said they were told they could expect to wait more than two hours to vote.

Elections Canada opened advance polls Friday, with voters able to cast their ballots through the long weekend. The agency is encouraging Canadians to check their voter registration cards or visit its website to confirm polling station hours and locations.

The federal election is slated for Monday, April 28.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Sean McClune