After a sometimes vicious 40-day federal election campaign, we’ll soon know who will represent Simcoe North in Ottawa.
At 9:30 p.m., the polls will close and the tabulation of votes will begin in earnest. Once the ballots are counted, we’ll learn if one of the parties was able to stun pundits by winning a majority or if, as many predicted, a minority government is on the horizon.
Our riding has long been considered a Conservative stronghold; Bruce Stanton is seeking his fifth straight term as Simcoe North’s MP.
Things were decidedly low key at Stanton’s headquarters at Bonaire Golf Course in Coldwater.
“I think with all the fragmented voting, we’re not going to see a majority on any side,” said Bonaire owner Randy Fielder, who’s also a strong Stanton supporter. “I think we’re going to end up with a coalition government.”
Added fellow Stanton supporter Larry Cascagnette of Penetanguishene: “This is hard to tell right now because we’re only seeing Atlantic Canada. I think Ontario’s going to tell the story.”
The local Liberals believe the riding could be a toss-up; it’s why leader Justin Trudeau visited the riding Friday, they say.
First-time Liberal candidate Gerry Hawes was not available for comment tonight. One of his campaign officials said Hawes would be at the “victory party” at Brewery Bay in downtown Orillia at about 10:30 p.m.
Rookie candidate Angelique Belcourt, at her election night headquarters at Maple Canadian Pub in Midland, said she was feeling buoyant tonight.
"I'm feeling so excited. The overall support has been overwhelming,” the 23-year-old NDP candidate told OrilliaMatters tonight. “I'm really grateful to be here as an Indigenous woman running in this election.”
Belcourt says she has high hopes.
"I would love to win,” she said. “What I've been hearing a lot is people want change, people are tired of the status quo and people are happy that there is an ambitious young person running for office, so I'm just really excited to see what this election means for our community.
"I hope no matter who wins tonight, the people get the changes that they want,” she said as friends, family and supporters continued to pour into the pub to wish Belcourt luck and celebrate her campaign.
Also vying for votes in Simcoe North are: Valerie Powell (Green), Stephen Makk (People’s Party of Canada) and Chris Brown (Christian Heritage Party).
In the last federal election in 2015, Stanton won his fourth term, but it was not a cakewalk.
In that election, Stanton topped the polls with 24,836 votes - or 43.5 percent of the ballots cast in the riding that sprawls from Orillia to Midland and includes Tay and Tiny Townships.
Liberal Liz Riley finished a strong second, earning 22,718 votes (39.81%) in what was, essentially, a two-horse race.
NDP candidate Richard Banigan earned 6,037 votes, while Green Party candidate Peter Stubbins finished fourth with 2,543 people casting ballots on his behalf.
Jacob Kearey-Moreland ran as a Co-operative Interdependent candidate and garnered 618 votes while Scott Mitchell earned 319 votes for the Christian Heritage Party.
In 2015, 57,260 voters cast ballots of the 86,859 eligible electors.
Once the polls close, OrilliaMatters will have up-to-the-minute LIVE LOCAL RESULTS and an interactive election map on our Canada Votes homepage
