As preliminary results from the 2024 Federal Election settled across the nation, a familiar political hue solidified over Simcoe County. While national voter turnout saw a notable increase compared to recent electoral history, the region’s political landscape remained unchanged, firmly painted in Conservative blue. Despite tighter races elsewhere and a resulting Liberal minority government nationally, local voters delivered consistent victories for incumbent Conservative Members of Parliament across all area ridings.
The story of the election night within Simcoe County was one of continuity. All Conservative incumbents successfully defended their seats, reaffirming the party’s stronghold in the region. This consistent outcome unfolded against a backdrop of increased voter engagement nationwide, with initial estimates placing turnout around 67 per cent, a significant jump from 2021 and potentially exceeding 70 per cent once all ballots, including same-day registrations, are accounted for. While the national picture resulted in 168 seats for the Liberals and 144 for the Conservatives, Simcoe County ridings presented a unified front.
In Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte (BSOM), incumbent Doug Shipley secured his position with 33,520 votes, maintaining a comfortable lead over Liberal challenger Rose Zacharias, who garnered 27,901 votes. The voter turnout in BSOM reached a respectable 69 per cent, even with one poll’s results pending at the time of reporting. Similarly, in Barrie South-Innisfil, John Brassard received a decisive mandate, winning 38,486 votes – over 15,000 more than Liberal candidate John Olthuis. Turnout here was reported at 67 per cent, also with one poll outstanding.
Further north and west, the trend continued. Simcoe-Grey saw incumbent Terry Dowdall re-elected with 34,634 votes against Liberal Bren Munro’s 29,264. This riding witnessed particularly high engagement, with over 70 per cent of eligible voters (66,955 individuals) casting ballots, a marked increase from the 63.5 per cent turnout in 2021. Neighbouring Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound mirrored this high participation, with a 70 per cent turnout rate contributing to incumbent Alex Ruff’s victory (35,192 votes) over Liberal Anne Marie Watson (26,406 votes).
A somewhat closer contest unfolded in Simcoe North, where incumbent Adam Chambers garnered 31,351 votes to secure the win against Liberal candidate Ryan Rocca, who received 28,650 votes. Turnout in Simcoe North sat at 66 per cent, with results from two polls still pending. In the newly established riding of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury, Conservative Scot Davidson claimed the seat decisively with 39,000 votes, compared to 24,182 for Liberal Mike Hanrahan. Turnout was robust at nearly 68 per cent, awaiting final counts from one poll and election day registrations.
The consistent results across all Simcoe County ridings underscore a strong base of Conservative support in the area, unmoved by the higher national voter turnout or the shifting tides that led to a Liberal minority government. While final, official vote counts and turnout percentages awaited confirmation as counting resumed, the narrative was clear: Simcoe stays blue. The increased participation suggests voters were more motivated than in recent elections, yet in this region, that motivation translated into a reaffirmation of the existing political representation, sending a familiar delegation back to Ottawa.
References:
Federal election: Voter turnout rises locally as region remains blue
