Members of the Parti Quebecois are casting and ranking their ballots as they choose the man or woman to replace Pierre Karl Peladeau.

More than 73,200 members can vote, either by phone or online, until Friday at 5 p.m. EDT.

Three MNAs, Jean-Francois Lisée, Alexandre Cloutier and Martine Ouellet and tthe unelected Paul St-Pierre Plamondon are contesting for the title.

Lisée cast his ballot Wednesday morning, and pointed to that morning's editorial cartoon in Le Devoir as the reason he should win.

"This cartoon is the ballot question. This cartoon in Le Devois has (Premier) Philippe Couillard and (house leader) Jean-Marc Fournier praying for anyone but Lisée. Why? Because they know that their days are counted if the members elect me, because they have only two arguments to be re-elected in 2018: the economy and the referendum," Lisée said.

Fournier found the justification ridiculous.

"If his public policy for the future will be based on drawings in a newspaper, well I guess maybe they are in trouble," said Fournier.

Lisée is the only PQ leadership candidate who has refused to hold a referendum in the event the PQ forms the next government. 

 

Cloutier and Plamondon have refused to set anything in stone, and Cloutier rallied on Wednesday with his entourage of MNAs that support his campaign.

"It should be a success that I've been able to get so much support from the ones who know me the best. All those members of the National Assembly are very well-placed to put a judgment on me," said Cloutier.

Ouellet is the only candidate who is promising to abide by the PQ's raison d'etre and hold a referendum on separation in its first mandate.

"There are three candidates that want to continue on with ambiguity and report after report, or if they want to choose to assume independence," said Ouellet.

The campaign has focused largely on issues of language, identity and Quebec sovereignty.

Pollsters say the real race is between Cloutier and Lisée with the redistribution of second- and third-choice votes being key.

The PQ leader will be announced Friday evening.