Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre faces 81 competing candidates in his riding

A sample ballot box is seen ahead of the 2019 federal election at Elections Canada's offices in Gatineau, Que., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will seek re-election in his own riding against 81 other candidates -- while Liberal Leader Mark Carney is running for the first time against just four challengers in Nepean.

A protest group called the Longest Ballot Committee has convinced dozens of candidates to register to run as Independents in Poilievre’s Ontario riding of Carleton, in addition to the usual main party candidates.

The protest group opposes the first-past-the-post voting system and is seeking to build support for electoral reform.

The group has fielded long lists of candidates in prominent federal byelections in recent years, inflating the physical size of ballots and delaying the counts.

A representative from the protest group pledged to field candidates against Liberal incumbent Chrystia Freeland in her University--Rosedale riding in Toronto -- a threat that has not materialized as she only faces five challengers.

Candidates across Canada had until 2 p.m. Monday to submit their nomination papers -- confirming their names on the ballots for April 28 -- and until 5 p.m. to decide to withdraw their candidacy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.