A record number of Winnipeg voters are getting ahead of the game for the 2018 Municipal and School Board Election. 

In a release, the city says an estimated 39,500 voters have participated in advance voting, which is a 30 per cent increase from the 30,619 voters who participated in the 2014 election. 

According to senior election official Marc Lemoine, that's because the city was able to apply new technology and reach more voters in busy places. 

"We visited over 170 different senior's homes, hospitals, malls, community centres, universities and set up vote anywhere centres," Lemoine said. "Anyone, no matter where they lived or what area they were voting in could cast their ballot." 

Lemoine says they also used new technology that allowed clerks to scan a person's driver's licence. 

"It helped to make it a lot quicker and we could just pull them up and identify what council and school trustee races they're voting for," Lemoine said. "It allowed us to be very accurate in terms of what ballot people needed." 

Lemoine says he's encouraged by this spike in advance voting and hopes it will inspire everyone to go to the polls on election day. 

"We don't want people to go out on election day and see big lineups and be dissuaded from voting," Lemoine said. "If you were in a line during our advance polls you'd know they were moving very quickly and it takes usually 10 minutes to get through which isn't really that long." 

"Hopefully they will encourage people to get out and make a difference in who is going to be running our city for the next four years." 

As for Winnipeggers who haven't voted yet, they will go to the polls Wednesday, Oct. 24. Polls will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. that day. 

The city says all voters are required to bring valid identification that shows their name and current home address. These pieces of ID could include a driver's licence, enhanced identification card or any two documents that together show the voter's name and current home address. 

Voters Notices outlining designated election day voting locations have been mailed to registered voters. 

You can find out more information on where you should vote by visiting winnipeg.ca/wheredoivote or by contacting 311.