Quebec Provincial election campaign officially underway

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard kicked off the 2018 provincial election period on Thursday morning, marking the beginning of a 39-day campaign that will come to a close with the vote on October 1. The campaign will be the longest possible under Quebec electoral law.

Popular speculation places the Coalition Avenir Quebec, led by Francois Legault, at the head of the pack going into the campaign. Legault has made a point, in the lead up to Thursday’s announcement, of repeatedly stating that he plans to make a clean sweep of the ridings in the Eastern Townships and has been present for the announcement of almost all of his candidates in the region to underline that message.

The Liberal party, incumbent in all six Townships ridings, is fielding five newcomer candidates as veteran MNAS across the region each announced their intention not to run over the course of the Spring and Summer. Only Sherbrooke’s Luc Fortin is looking to return to his current seat. Couillard has hailed the change as “renewal” in the Liberal team, calling it a positive change.

Canididate nomination papers can be filed until 2 p.m. on September 15.

Information on the upcoming election, including tools to check on your electoral division, the list of local candidates, and whether or not your name is on the list of electors is available on the Elections Quebec website at https://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/provinciales/en