Photo: Colin Dacre

A lineup to vote at advanced polling Thursday at the Penticton Seniors Centre.

Voter turnout was extraordinary during the final advanced poll Thursday at the Penticton Seniors Centre.

Chief election officer Laurie Darcus said 3,034 people cast a ballot Thursday. That’s on top of the more than 1,860 votes cast during the first two days of advanced voting last week.

Voting wait times Thursday peaked around lunch at close to 30 minutes, but were as low at five minutes in the late afternoon and evening.

With a total of 4,894 people casting an advanced ballot this year, early voter turnout is up 158 per cent over 2014 when 1,893 people voted during two days of advanced polls.

Such a massive turnout at early polls will almost certainly mean Penticton will improve on last election’s dismal 33 per cent voter turnout when 8,424 people voted in the entire 2014 election.

General voting day is Saturday, with polling stations at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre and the Seniors Centre open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.