Voters in Montreal's byelections flock to the polls
Polls will open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with Elections Canada aiming to complete the count by midnight despite the 91-name ballot, which sets a federal election record.
This Monday’s byelection in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, Montreal, will be crucial as citizens decide if political strongholds will fall.
Polls will open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with Elections Canada aiming to complete the count by midnight despite the 91-name ballot, which sets a federal election record.
Independent candidates flooded the ballot to protest the first-past-the-post system.
Elections Canada has taken lessons from the June byelection in Toronto-St. Paul’s, where a similar situation delayed results.
Measures to expedite counting include advance vote tallies starting four hours before polls close, increased staffing, and additional support on-site.
The Montreal riding is expected to draw the most attention, with the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc Québécois locked in a three-way race to succeed former MP David Lametti.
In the 2021 general election, Lametti secured 42.9% of the vote, far ahead of the Bloc and NDP.
However, current polling suggests the NDP is at risk of losing ground nationally, raising concerns about the party’s prospects under a potential Conservative majority.
