Canadians rush to early polls in election, mail-in ballots underwhelm

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the Discovery Centre during an election campaign stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada September 15, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio

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OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadians voted in advanced polls in record numbers ahead of an upcoming election, some looking to beat crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released this week, though an expected avalanche of mail-in ballots has failed to materialize.