Barely a few weeks after the federal election, Quebecers go to the polls again on Sunday, this time to elect their municipal representatives.
Elections are being held in more than 1,100 municipalities in the province. At stake: 8,044 mayor or councilor positions to be filled. Votes are also held in regional county municipalities to elect a warden.
Polling stations are open across the province from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The count will begin at 8 p.m. The results will be revealed as the evening progresses.
In Montreal, outgoing mayor Valérie Plante once again faces her predecessor Denis Coderre. Six other candidates, including Balarama Holness, are also trying their luck.
Certain major cities will undoubtedly have a new mayor.
This is particularly the case of Quebec where the long-time mayor Régis Labeaume has chosen not to stand for re-election after more than 13 years at the head of the Quebec capital. Eight candidates are fighting each other, including Marie-Josée Savard, Jean-François Gosselin and Bruno Marchand.
This is also the case in Laval where Marc Demers chose to retire after two terms. The race promises to be tight between his successor at the head of his party, Stéphane Boyer, and his opponents Sophie Trottier and Michel Trottier.
In Longueuil, citizens will have to choose a successor to Sylvie Parent. Marie-Victorin’s independent MP, Catherine Fournier, is a favorite ahead of former CSN president Jacques Létourneau, and Josée Latendresse who lost by only 116 votes in 2017.
The citizens of Gatineau will also have a new mayor since Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin is not a candidate for his own re-election. Six candidates, including five independent, want to replace him.
The city of Granby will also be led by a new mayor since Pascal Bonin has chosen not to run again. Four candidates are in the running: Julie Bourdon, Michel Duchesneau, Jocelyn Dupuis and Jaouad El Kaabi.
In Sherbrooke, a former minister of the government of Philippe Couillard, Luc Fortin, tries his luck. He faces the outgoing mayor Steve Lussier, Evelyne Beaudin and Patrick Tétrault.
In Trois-Rivières, the outgoing Jean Lamarche is presented again to the judgment of the electors. He faces Gilles Brodeau and Valérie Renaud-Martin.
Saguenay sees the outgoing Carole Néron run for mayor again. She faces five other candidates, including councilor Julie Dufour.
A number of cities, such as Victoriaville, Baie-Comeau and Boucherville, already know their mayor since only one candidate was running. Across Quebec, 528 mayors and 3,854 municipal councilors were elected without opposition.