Monday marks the culmination of four weeks of campaigning for the New Brunswick provincial election.
New Brunswickers will have the distinction of being the first province to head to the polls since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Progressive Conservative leader and incumbent premier Blaine Higgs asked to have the legislature dissolved in mid-August, signifying the beginning of the snap election.
The election call followed the deterioration of talks which would have seen the other parties agree to support the party’s minority government until 2022.
Higgs now hopes the province’s robust response to the pandemic helps the PCs earn a majority government.
Liberal leader Kevin Vickers heads Higgs’ chief opposition party, looking to bring the Liberals back into government for the first time since 2018. He’ll need to pick up several seats to do so, including his own riding in Miramichi.
The Green Party, led by David Coon, and the People’s Alliance under Kris Austin, are also hoping to build on the three seats their caucuses currently hold.
New Brunswick’s NDP, led by interim leader Mackenzie Thomason, will look to win its first seat since former leader Elizabeth Weir retired in 2005.
What You Need To Know To Vote
Polling stations will open at 10 a.m. Monday and remain open until 8 p.m.
Voters are encouraged to bring their voter information card in order to speed up the process.
Those who do not have one can be added to the voters list at their polling station.
Voters not on the list will need pieces of ID which show their name, current address and signature. They can also have an eligible elector swear an oath for them.
Nearly 133,000 New Brunswickers voted during two days of advance polls, while thousands of others voted at returning officers or by mail-in ballot.
Once the polls close, our team of reporters will bring you up-to-the-minute results and reaction to them on Decision NB 2020.
Tune in for updates on-air and online starting at 8 p.m.
For information on where you can find your polling station, or any other questions about the election, visit the Elections NB website.
With files from Brad Perry.
