A record number of voters cast ballots in advance polls, and that’s left each mayoral camp to interpret the surprising figures in their own way.

Nearly 125,000 people cast a ballot in early polls which ran all week across the city.

Elections Toronto officials confirmed Sunday that the tally shatters the previous record for advance polls set in 2010 when 77,000 people came out to vote early.

That count reflects results as of Saturday with advanced polls set to close Sunday. Election day is Oct. 27.

John Tory said the results show people are engaged in this election.

“I’m thrilled with that,” he said. “This is a great city and we have to make it greater over the coming years and that means people taking an active interest.”

Tory said his campaign is monitoring who is voting and he feels “gratified” that the supporters they have encouraged to get out and vote have done so early.

“The results will be counted up a week Monday so we’ll see how everything goes,” he said.

Doug Ford said he hopes the high turnout is a sign his supporters are voting in large numbers.

“Any campaign that says it goes one way or another, I just don’t believe it,” he added. “No one knows who they’re voting for. All I’m going by is the last election, where there was a record turnout and it really worked well for us.”

Olivia Chow said it’s exciting to see so many people taking advantage of the advanced polls. She did a little poll of her own at an event Saturday night and said “90%” of that politically engaged crowd had voted. She hoped people in communities across the city took time to vote.

“If you look at some initial analysis, the neighbours who have been left behind a little more, i.e., the people who are struggling more, their turnout rate seems to be not as high,” she said.

Chow said she had a team helping to get out her vote.

“We’ve been working very hard, working flat out, to get people to the advance polls,” she said.

shawn.jeffords@sunmedia.ca