Advance polls open ahead of next week’s provincial election

Advance polling opened Sunday across Quebec, exactly eight days ahead of the Oct. 3 provincial election.

Quebecers can cast their ballot in advance Sunday and Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Quebec election: What you need to know to vote on Oct. 3

“Typically the advanced poll is for those people who are very sure of who they’re going to vote for,” said political analyst Karim Boulos.

“You never know, we might have a terrible pouring rain of a day on Oct. 3 and people who are coming back from work and are tired and need to go vote before 8 p.m., may stay home. So the sooner you can get your vote in the bank, the better it is.

“I encourage everyone to go vote, period. But I think taking advantage of the advance poll is a great opportunity, the polls are a lot less busy and if you really support your candidate and you see how you see the future of Quebec to include your party then they should get out and vote early.”

In 2018, 1.1 million Quebecers voted in advance polls – about 18 per cent of the province’s eligible voting population.

Nineteen per cent of the eligible voting population cast a ballot in advance polling in the 2014 election.

This year, there are 6,286,344 people registered on the voters list. It is still possible to register until Sept. 29.

Several people lined up to vote at Laurier Macdonald High School in Saint-Leonard – in the Jeanne-Mance–Viger riding.

“My choice is made, so whether it’s now or next week, we take advantage of the time if we can go early,” said one Montrealer.

“I waited two hours,” said another. “Despite that, we voted. Our voice it matters.”

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Quebec’s political party leaders are also urging voters to head to the urns.

CAQ Leader Francois Legault, who voted Sunday in his riding of L’Assomption, northeast of Montreal, sought to dispel the idea that the outcome of the election is a foregone conclusion.

He urged volunteers Sunday morning to motivate others to cast their ballots, saying voting is a “duty.”

Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, meanwhile, made an appeal to the young voters who make up much of his party’s base.

“You make up a third of the electorate, you have the power to change things,” he said, adding “Don’t let this little bit of power slip between your fingers.”

The CAQ have a strong lead in the polls, with popularity split between the other major parties – especially on the island of Montreal.

“The interesting race will be between Québec solidaire and the Liberal Party,” said Boulos. “In fact, I think it will be between Quebec solidaire, the Liberal Party, and possibly the PQ – the PQ is making tremendous inroads in some of the south of Montreal regions.”

Advance voting was cancelled in Îles-de-la-Madeleine as the remote eastern island chain deals with the effects of post-tropical storm Fiona.

Élections Quebec said late Saturday that voters in the islands can vote on the second advance polling day Monday if weather permits.

—With files from The Canadian Press.