Quebecers head to the polls, under half of voters have cast a ballot
Quebecers are casting their votes Monday after a five-week election campaign dominated by divisive issues like immigration, climate, the cost of living, health care, and Quebec identity.
Polls are open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Still undecided? Check out CTV's guide to all the major parties' platforms
- Not sure how or where to vote? All the information you need is here
- Want to look back on key moments of the campaign? Visit CTV's Election Hub
CTV News has already declared Francois Legault's Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) will form a majority government, but with many ballots still to count, there remains a lot of uncertainty for the next National Assembly.
The tightest race remains for second place, with other parties still neck-and-neck. The Liberals (PLQ) are projected to get 16 per cent of the vote, Quebec solidaire (QS) and the Conservatives (CPQ) are tied for 15 per cent, and the Parti Quebecois (PQ) at 14 per cent.
As for how that support will result in elected seats, the CAQ is projected to win 92 ridings, for a majority of the 125 total seats. The PLQ is projected to form a relatively weak official opposition with 21, QS is likely to win approximately nine, the PQ could take three, and despite popular support rivalling other parties, the Quebec Conservatives are not projected to send any candidates to Quebec City.
Party leaders spent Sunday making their final appeals to voters, hoping their stances on language, climate change, and Indigenous issues will win people over.
RIDINGS TO WATCH
Here are some of Quebec's most hotly-contested ridings:
SANT-HENRI-SAINTE-ANNE
This riding in Montreal's southwest is held by Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade. Oct. 2 polls suggest a three-way split in support for the Liberals (30 per cent), the CAQ (27 per cent), and Quebec Solidaire (27 per cent).
It's an unusually tight race for the riding which has been long-considered a Liberal stronghold.
CAMILLE-LAURIN (BOURGET)
Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is hoping to take a seat from the CAQ in Camille-Laurin, in Montreal's southeast.
Apart from being home to the PQ leader, this riding made headlines during the campaign after videos surfaced showing a QS candidate swiping her opponant's flyers from a mailbox. That candidate stepped down shortly after, leaving a tight race between the PQ and CAQ.
Polls suggest an extremely tight race between St-Pierre Plamondon and incumbent CAQ candidate Richard Campeau.
THE BEAUCE
The Beace, which is actually two Quebec City-area ridings called Beauce-Nord, and Beauce-Sud, are at the centre of the newly-popular Quebec Conservative Party's base.
Conservative Leader Eric Duhaime spent his last day on the campaign trail here, calling the area Conservative territory "par-excellence."
Polls suggest a very tight race against the CAQ in both ridings.
JEAN-LESAGE
After going deep red in 2014, voters in the riding have turned their support to the CAQ and QS. Quebec Solidaire incumbent Sol Zanetti is defending his seat from CAQ contender Christiane Gamache -- and polls suggest the race is very close.
VOTER TURNOUT
As of 5:30 p.m., just over 44 per cent of Quebec electors showed up at the polls both on election day and in advanced polling, according to Elections Quebec.
People prepare to vote, Monday, October 3, 2022 at a polling station in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
In the advance poll, a record-breaking 24 per cent of Quebec electors (over 1.5 million people) cast their votes.
Elections Quebec is expected to provide updates on the Oct. 3 voter turnout throughout the day.
In the 2018 general election, voter turnout was at 66 per cent.
The lowest voter turnout was in the following ridings:
- Marguerite-Bourgeoys: 35.42 per cent (Incumbent: Hélène David)
- Bourassa-Sauve: 33.72 per cent (Incumbent: Paule Robitaille)
- Robert-Baldwin: 33.70 per cent (Incumbent: Carlos J. Leitão)
- Chateauguay: 33.09 per cent (Incumbent: Marie-Chantal Chassé)
- Acadie: 32.35 per cent (Incumbent: Christine St-Pierre)
- Jeanne-Mance-Viger: 31.79 per cent (Incumbent: Filomena Rotiroti)
- Viau: 31.7 per cent (Incumbent: Frantz Benjamin)
- Saint-Laurent: 31.57 per cent (Incumbent: Marwah Rizqy)
- Westmount-Saint-Louis: 31.12 per cent (Incumbent: Jennifer Maccarone)
- Nelligan: 29.61 per cent (Incumbent: Monsef Derraji)
- Duplessis: 25.05 per cent (Incumbent: Lorraine Richard)
- D'Arcy-McGee: 24.57 per cent (Incumbent: David Birnbaum)
- Ungava: 19.99 per cent (Incumbent: Denis Lamothe)
This is a developing story that will be updated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.