After a day of voting in municipal elections, polling stations have closed in most parts of Quebec. Valérie Plante’s departure after two terms ensures that Montreal will have a new mayor, leading Canada’s second-largest city.
Out of Quebec’s approximately 1,100 municipalities, many officials were elected without opposition, a process known as acclamation. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing data reveals that 568 mayoral seats and 4,034 municipal council seats were filled through acclamation.
Notably, 14 mayors in the greater Montreal area, including those in Kirkland and Dollard-des-Ormeaux, were elected without contest. This leaves voters with the task of electing 523 mayors and 2,761 municipal councillors.
Prior to the final election day, advanced polling and other voting methods were already conducted in many municipalities. Most polling stations closed at 8 p.m. on Sunday, except in Gatineau, where polls stayed open until 8:30 p.m. due to technical issues in the morning.
As the ballots are tallied, the results will be announced gradually. CBC will broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. on television, radio, and various online platforms.
For election coverage, viewers can tune in to CBC TV, CBC Radio One, or stream on CBC Gem, CBC Listen, YouTube, or the CBC News Quebec streaming channel.
Voter Participation
In the previous Quebec municipal elections, 38.7% of eligible voters participated, a decline from the 44.8 to 47.2% rates in the preceding four elections. Montreal saw a similar trend, with only 38% of eligible voters casting ballots in 2021, a decrease of four percentage points from eight years ago.
By 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Élections Montréal estimated a voter turnout of around 17%. The ongoing transit strike in Montreal might be affecting voter turnout, according to Julie St-Arnaud Drolet, spokesperson for Élections Québec.
- <a class="card