Voters in Mississauga-Lakeshore will be choosing their next federal representative on Monday.
A total of 40 candidates are running for MP in the GTA riding requiring Elections Canada to use a special two-column ballot.
Charles Sousa, a former Mississauga South MPP and Ontario Liberal finance minister who represented the riding until he was defeated by Conservative Rudy Cuzzetto in 2018, is runnign for the Liberals, while local police officer Ron Chhinzer is the Conservative candidate.
Former provincial constituency assistant Julia Kole is running for the NDP. She had previously run provincially for the New Democrats.
Mary Kidnew, a long-time Missisauga resident, is on the ballot for the Green Party.
The seat was vacated last May after former Liberal MP Sven Spengemann stepped down to work for the United Nations.
In early November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the date for the byelection in Mississauga-Lakeshore would be Dec. 12.
It's election day in #Mississauga-Lakeshore! I encourage all residents to make their voices heard in #Ottawa by voting for candidates that move our city's priorities forward in today's federal by-election. Visit https://t.co/IAw1PJIy3w to find your polling location.
— Bonnie Crombie ���� (@BonnieCrombie) December 12, 2022
This contest is the first time that Canadians can vote for a Conservative candidate since Pierre Poilievre was selected as the party’s leader in September.
Poll analyst Philippe Fournier, of 338-Canada, believes the Liberals can pull off a win in Mississauga-Lakeshore. He told The Canadian press that the Conservatives, who have not been very visible during the race, will need to win in similar Ontario ridings in future elections if they want to form government.
With files from The Canadian Press.
