Millions of Canadians are headed to the polls on Monday in a snap federal election that has largely focused on how the candidates would respond to US President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs as well as his call to make Canada the 51st state.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, current leader of the Liberal Party, called the election in March shortly after taking over from former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. His main opponent in the race is Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
When the Canada’s Parliament was dissolved last month after the election call, the Liberals had 152 seats and the Conservatives had 120. The rest of the seats were held by the Bloc Québécois (33) and the New Democrat Party (24), and the Green Party (2).
More than seven million Canadians have already cast early votes in a record turnout. Polls open on Monday starting at 7:00 EDT (12:00 BST). Here is what you need to know.
When do we expect to know who won?
Preliminary results will likely come in late on Monday night or early on Tuesday morning, local time.
But officials double-check vote totals after the election.
News outlets, including the CBC, the Canadian public broadcaster, will usually declare a projected winner on election night after most votes are counted. These will be based on initial results from Elections Canada, which runs the country’s federal elections.
Poll closings are staggered around the country to accommodate the multiple time zones.
The first polls close in Newfoundland and Labrador at 19:00 EDT (00:00 BST) and the last polls in British Columbia close at 22:00 EDT (03:00 BST).
The biggest sweep of polls close at 21:30 EDT (02:30 BST), including in Ontario and Quebec. This will be a consequential time to see big wins and losses for the political parties.
If the Conservatives or Liberals win big in the eastern part of the country, it is possible the election can be called earlier in the night.
But more time could be needed to ascertain whether Canadians elect a minority or majority government.
How does the vote counting work?
Federal election officials are required to count ballots by hand in front of witnesses. Ballots are counted only after polls close in each location where the votes were cast.
Votes that were cast early are counted at the local Elections Canada office for each riding. Usually they are counted after polls close on election night but some of them can be counted up to an hour earlier if the volume is high.
This year voters set a new record for early turnout in Canada with more than seven million ballots cast in advance. Mail-in votes and ballots cast in military bases sometimes take longer to tabulate, but officials say they expect most ballots to be counted on election night.
What are they key places to watch?
Because Ontario and Quebec make up 200 out of 343 seats in Parliament, there might an early election call if there is a sweep.
Some parts of the country are worth watching to see trends, including the “905”, a horseshoe of municipalities around the city of Toronto that make up 31 ridings, or constituencies.
It’s long been a battleground between Liberals and Conservatives.
Many eyes will also be focused on two ridings in the Ottawa area.
Carney, who has never been elected to Parliament, is running in Nepean – near Ottawa.
Meanwhile, Poilievre is seeking to hold his seat in Carleton, a riding also outside Ottawa.
What happens if no party wins a majority?
The leader of the party with the largest number of seats or elected members of Parliament normally forms government.
If no party ends up with an overall majority, a minority government is formed. The party with the most seats then has to pass legislation by working with other parties.
When will the winner become prime minister?
If the Liberals win, their leader Mark Carney would not need to be sworn in again. Instead, he would continue doing his job, as do his Cabinet ministers.
Should Carney decide to reshuffle his Cabinet, there will be a ceremony with the Governor General, but until then, the ministers stay in their posts.
If the Conservatives win, their leader Pierre Poilievre is likely to take about two weeks to become prime minister. For example, when Trudeau beat Stephen Harper in 2015, it took 15 days for him to be sworn in.
By BBC News
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