High turnout expected in Quebec for 42nd federal general election
After the longest federal election campaign in modern Canadian history, Quebecers cast their ballots Monday in what pollsters have predicted will be a highly competitive race between four political parties in the province.
In the 2011 election, the New Democratic Party swept 59 of the province’s 75 ridings in what came to be viewed as an “orange wave,” but, this time around, the NDP is facing serious challenges from the Liberals, the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives.
What’s more, there are three new ridings in Quebec, and the boundaries of many existing electoral districts have been redrawn, which could lead to some election-night surprises.
And if the turnout at the advance polls is any indication, many more Quebecers will be voting in the 42nd general election than they did in 2011. More than 942,000 Quebecers cast ballots in the advance polls, up by 65.4 per cent since the last election, but below the national increase of 71 per cent.
Those numbers raise the prospect of long lineups at some polling stations, but Elections Canada will be prepared for any contingency and deploy the necessary personnel, a spokesperson said.
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/high-turnout-expected-in-quebec-for-42nd-federal-general-election