Quebec Heads to the Polls Monday in High-Stakes Provincial Election
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Quebecers will vote Monday in a provincial election that could reshape the province’s political landscape after eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec government, with five major parties competing amid debates over the economy, immigration, health care and Quebec’s constitutional future.
About 6.4 million registered electors are eligible to vote. Polling stations will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Elections Québec says about 1.6 million people — 25.59 per cent of registered voters — have already cast ballots during advance voting.
The election is being fought across 127 electoral districts under a new electoral map, including newly created ridings and boundary changes in several regions of the province. Premier Christine Fréchette is leading the CAQ into a general election for the first time after succeeding François Legault earlier this year. Her main rivals include Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard, Québec solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal and Conservative leader Éric Duhaime.
Quebec sovereignty has returned to the centre of provincial politics during the campaign. St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to holding an independence referendum during a first PQ mandate, while other leaders have repeatedly challenged that proposal during the campaign and televised debates.
Voters have also been weighing the cost of living, health care, immigration, housing, language policy and the environment, as well as the economic impact of ongoing Canada-U.S. trade tensions.
Party leaders spent the final weekend making last appeals across the province ahead of Monday’s vote. Preliminary results are expected to begin appearing after polls close at 8 p.m., with official results to follow after the formal verification process.
