The CAQ candidate in Soulanges is disqualified.

Two others in party also out for having too few valid signatures on nomination papers

Mario Gagnier, the Coalition Avenir Québec candidate in Soulanges, has been disqualified from the race after failing to provide enough valid signatures on his nomination papers.

The Directeur général des élections du Québec announced Saturday that Gagnier and two other CAQ candidates were not eligible to run.

Sam Nassif in St-Laurent and François Carl-Labonté in Westmount-Saint-Louis were also disqualified after the DGEQ confirmed that the candidates did not collect enough valid signatures on their nom- ination papers.

The CAQ will not present a candidate in any of the three ridings, as the nomination period for candidates ended earlier this month.

CAQ leader François Legault said Saturday that the candidates had accidentally collected signatures from voters who were not registered in the riding, or women who signed with their maiden names.

In the 2012 election, Gagnier received 28 per cent of the vote in Soulanges, placing third after the Liberal and Parti Québécois candidates.