It is time for the counting of votes in Manitoba, where the New Democratic Party is trying to regain control of the province from the Progressive Conservatives in an election strongly colored by the management of the pandemic.
Polls closed at around 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. EDT).
The election essentially pits NDP leader Wab Kinew against outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Heather Stefanson. The latter came to power in Manitoba in November 2021 by winning the race for the leadership of her party, following the departure of Prime Minister Brian Pallister in full mandate.
Regardless of the outcome, the result will be a first in the province. Manitobans will either see the election of a first female premier after a general election or the election of a first premier of Indigenous descent.
A poll released Monday by the Research Co. firm gave a clear advantage to the New Democrats, credited with 48% of voting intentions, compared to 39% for the Progressive Conservatives.
A poll released in late September by CTV News and the Winnipeg Free Press showed that a third of voters planned to vote against the Progressive Conservatives because of their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Democratic leader has also promised to hold a public inquiry into this issue if he is elected.
The Progressive Conservatives and the New Democrats are essentially the only two major political forces in Manitoba. The two parties have exchanged power continuously since the end of the 1950s, with sometimes a rise of the provincial liberal party which manages to obtain the title of official opposition.
The Progressive Conservatives have been in power since March 2016, the year they ended more than 15 years of NDP rule.