FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT QUEBEC’S ELECTION

1 THE STANDINGS The current breakdown in the 125-seat National Assembly: Quebec Liberal Party (Philippe Couillard): 68 Parti Québécois (Jean-François Lisée): 28 Coalition Avenir Québec (François Legault): 21 Québec solidaire (Manon Massé): 3 Independent: 5 Candidates have until Sept. 6 to file nomination papers. 2 39-DAY CAMPAIGN Quebec’s 39-day election campaign begins on Thursday. Voting day is on Oct. 1. Quebec has fixed-date elections (every four years, on the first Monday of October), though a premier can decide to call a vote earlier. Campaigns can be as short as 33 days but Couillard opted for a longer one. 3 RIDING CHANGES Quebec’s electoral map has changed since the last election, but the number of ridings remains the same — 125. Montreal Island now has 27 ridings, one fewer than in 2014. That’s because the Outremont and Mont-Royal districts were merged. The Mauricie region also lost a riding. Two ridings were added in the Laurentides Lanaudière region. 4 R-WORD WON’T COME UP In this campaign, no party is talking referendum. The Parti Québécois has not abandoned the independence idea — far from it — but that is not what the focus will be during the campaign. Instead, there is a far more powerful force lingering in the late summer air, one that has rattled sitting politicians. That is the desire for change after almost 15 years of Liberal rule. Poll after poll shows Quebecers are tired of the same old, same old. Add to the mix record levels of dissatisfaction with the way things are and you have a potent cocktail in your glass. 5 CAQ LEADS, FOR NOW Leading in the polls, the CAQ vote is especially fluid, says pollster Jean-Marc Léger, Léger president. “When it comes to the CAQ vote, the Jell-O has not congealed,” Léger said. “It is an intention, a favourable feeling, but we are a long way from votes in the box.”