Quebec votes 2026: Less than 72 hours left to convince voters

Just a few days remain before Quebecers head to the polls Monday, leaving party leaders with less than 72 hours to make their final appeals to voters.

The five main party leaders were on the campaign trail across the province Friday, making their pitches to voters ahead of election day.

“We want to form the government with the people of the Capitale-Nationale. We need you,” Parti Québécois (PQ) Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon told supporters in Quebec City.

Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) leader Christine Fréchette focused on her opposition to a referendum on Quebec sovereignty. “This is the worst time in the last 50 years to launch a referendum initiative,” she said, urging voters who want to prevent one to support her party.

Quebec Liberal party (PLQ) leader Charles Milliard said his party’s path to victory will depend in part on making gains in the Montérégie region. “On Monday evening, the road to victory will run through gains in Montérégie,” Milliard said during a campaign stop in Montarville.

Conservative Party of Quebec Leader Éric Duhaime asked voters to give his party the balance of power in the National Assembly. “We ask you today for the balance of power,” he said. “And I assure you that if we hold the balance of power this coming Oct. 5, we will be a responsible party.”

Québec solidaire co-leader Ruba Ghazal, meanwhile, urged voters not to cast their ballots strategically. “In this particular campaign, there is even less reason to vote strategically,” she said. “Go ahead and vote with your heart.”

Political analyst Daniel Tran said the final days of the campaign are crucial for parties trying to turn support into actual votes.

“These few days are essential for the leaders because this is the moment that you have to get the vote out,” Tran said.

He said parties need to mobilize both undecided voters and people who have already decided how they will vote. “There’s a lot of indecisive voters. Not all indecisive voters will go out and vote,” he said. “Even the voters who have decided who they are going to vote for, many things could happen.”

Tran said parties will be relying on their volunteers and candidates to encourage supporters to cast ballots.

CityNews also spoke with Montreal-area voters about where they stand ahead of election day.

“I have not voted yet. I will be voting. I haven’t quite decided yet,” said Montrealer Massimo Ruffolo. He said it’s a “game-time decision that’s going to happen when I’m in the box.”

West Island resident Linda Giguère said she had been undecided because she felt some of the campaign’s major issues did not reflect the concerns of voters.

“I was undecided because a lot of the leaders were not addressing the issues that the citizens really care about,” she said.

Giguère said she voted Monday but changed her mind at the last minute.

Étienne Forget, a Montrealer, said, “My mind has been made up for a while now. I’m pretty sure it’s the same decision as a lot of my peers. We want change.”

Meanwhile, Élections Québec reported Friday that 25.59 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots during advance voting between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1.

Tran said the advance-voting numbers will be closely watched as an indication of overall voter participation, although they do not determine the final turnout.

“This year we saw a little increase, almost close to 26 per cent in the votes for advance polling,” Tran said. “What we’re really curious about is really on election night. How is that going to translate into the total amount of votes that’s going to get out there?”

Quebecers will vote Monday, Oct. 5, with polling stations open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.