Polls close in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex byelection after a day of voting
Voters headed to the polls Thursday in a provincial byelection in the Ontario riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, a riding formerly held by longtime PC cabinet Minister Monte McNaughton.
McNaughton — who'd held the riding since 2011 — stepped down in September for a private sector job, leaving a vacancy in the vast, mainly rural riding west of London.
The riding is about the size of Prince Edward Island and extends from Lake St. Clair in the south to a small section of the Lake Huron shoreline just south of Grand Bend.
The riding includes the communities of Wallaceburg, Dresden, Strathroy, Glencoe and Lucan.
Happening on the same day is a byelecton in Milton.
Steve Pinsonneault, a Chatham-Kent city councillor first elected in 2006, is running for the Progressive Conservatives.
Challenging him for the Liberals is Lucan Mayor Cathy Burghardt-Jesson and retired educator Kathryn Shailer for the NDP.
Also running is:
Keith Benn New Blue Party
Stephen R. Campbell None of the Above Direct Democracy Party
Andraena Tilgner Green Party
Hilda Walton Family Rights Party
Cynthia Workman Ontario Party
Just under 5,000 voters cast ballots in advanced polls in the riding, which is about 6.6 per cent of eligible voters.
Voters were also able to cast ballots on May 1, a day before the byelection, at two returning offices in the riding: One near Strathroy, the other in Wallaceburg.
At the Strathroy location on Wednesday, a steady procession of voters turned up, voter cards in hand, to cast their ballots a day early.
Kevin White said a conflict forced him to vote on Wednesday.
"Well it's important to vote," he said. "I've always voted."
Shelly Bilson-Alon also voted Wednesday, saying it was the first time she'd had a chance to vote in a Canadian election since becoming a citizen two years ago. She and her family immigrated from Israel seven years ago.
Shelley Bilson-Alon is voting in a Canadian election for the first time since immigrating from Israel. (Andrew Lupton/CBC)
"It's our first time voting and I think it's important to us to fulfil our duties as citizens," she said.
"I hear people complaining all the time and having arguments that this politician did this, this politician did that. Well, go out and vote and influence. And don't cry about it later if you don't vote."
CBC spoke with some of the candidates' campaign teams on Wednesday. All said they'll be working right up to 9 p.m. to help get supporters to the polling stations.
All the candidates agreed connecting with voters has been a challenge in such a large riding over a compressed, 28-day campaign.
Polls open at 9 a.m. on Thursday and close at 9 p.m.
Elections Ontario has information here, about where you can vote in the riding.
