Quebec votes in municipal elections today

Quebec goes to the polls today to vote for mayors and councillors in the province's more than 1,100 municipalities.

Polling stations opened at 10 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.

As of 1 p.m. ET, 20.26 per cent of eligible voters had cast ballots in Montreal, including advance polls. By the same time in 2009, the voter turnout was 17.48 per cent.

In more than 300 municipalities, local leaders were re-elected without opposition, leaving about 800 municipalities to choose their candidates.

There are several key races across the province, including Quebec City, Saguenay, Sherbrooke, Gatineau, Levis and Trois-Rivières.

In Montreal, the four mayoralty front-runners — Richard Bergeron, Denis Coderre, Marcel Côté and Mélanie Joly — have cast their ballots and are awaiting the tally expected later this evening.

Across the province there are 13,247 candidates running for different positions, an increase of four per cent compared to 2009.

On Saturday, most candidates wrapped up the 40-day campaign period with public appearances to encourage people to cast their ballots.

The Union of Quebec Municipalities said it hopes at least 50 per cent of eligible voters will cast ballots by the time polls close this evening.

In the 2009 municipal election, only 45 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot across the province.

In Montreal, 39.44 per cent of registered voters went to the polls, whereas Saguenay had the highest turnout with 51.7 per cent.

However, in the wake of a higher than expected turnout for advance polls last Sunday, the chief electoral officer said the counting of advance poll ballots will start at 6 p.m.

You can follow CBC Montreal's municipal election coverage on TV, radio and online beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday.

CBC Radio (88.5/104.7FM) will have an election special beginning at 8 p.m., with hosts Mike Finnerty and Bernard St-Laurent.

On television, CBC News Montreal at 11 will also have a special round-up of the latest results with host Thomas Daigle.

Those outside the Montreal listening area can live stream the coverage online, and follow the live chat on the CBC Montreal website with Thomas Daigle.

You can also revisit some of CBC Montreal's special interactive projects, part of our ongoing coverage of the municipal campaign: