Monday byelection in Quebec City's Jean-Talon riding expected to be a tight race

PQ win in Jean-Talon would be historic We're looking at a potentially very split vote in the Jean-Talon byelection, says analyst Philippe J. Fournier

On Monday, citizens of the provincial riding of Jean-Talon in Quebec City will find out who will represent them in the National Assembly. This is the fourth byelection in this riding since 2008.

Those who did not vote in advance polls will have until 8 p.m. on Monday to choose between the ten candidates vying to replace Joëlle Boutin.

Boutin announced her resignation on July 19 for family and professional reasons.

To replace her and keep the riding in its fold, the Coalition Avenir Quebec is counting on Marie-Annick Shoiry.

The Quebec Liberal Party is betting on Elise Avard Bernier, while Quebec solidaire is running Olivier Bolduc in his fifth election campaign for the party. Bolduc finished second in the 2022 general election.

The Parti quebecois is represented by Pascal Paradis.

In addition to candidates from the four parties represented in the National Assembly, Jesse Robitaille will be running for the Quebec Conservative Party.

It promises to be a tight race between the CAQ and the PQ. According to QC125 projections, the party led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon could win 31 per cent of voting intentions, against 29, followed by the Liberal Party (12 per cent). Eric Duhaime's Conservative Party closes the gap with 9 per cent of voting intentions.

Former PQ minister and leader of Climat Quebec, Martine Ouellet, will try to make a comeback in the National Assembly.

Steve Therion, Kadidia Mahamane Bamba, and Lucie Perreault will campaign for the Autonomist Team, the Quebec Green Party, and Democratie directe, respectively.

One independent candidate, Jean Duval, is also registered.

More than one in five voters (nearly 22 per cent) have already cast their ballot in Jean-Talon during the two days allocated to advance polling.

In the 2022 general election, eight candidates vied for the seat in the riding. Boutin won with 32.50 per cent of the vote and a majority of 2988 votes.

The riding was once a Liberal stronghold.

Of the 46,714 registered voters, 73.86 per cent had exercised their right to vote, and nearly one per cent of ballots had been rejected.

-This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on October 1, 2023.