The provincial election campaign is now in full swing. On October 1, almost 6.1 million Quebecers will be called to the polls.
Why vote?
In a few weeks, you can vote for your member of the National Assembly (MNA). Quebec is divided into 125 ridings, and an MNA is elected for each riding.
Usually, the leader of the party that wins the election becomes the premier of Quebec.
The outcome of the election has an impact on citizens’ daily lives. For example, the provincial government regulates provincial income and other taxes, education, health care and civil rights.
MNA’s role
Once elected, MNAs sit in the National Assembly and represent the people in their ridings. They have three main functions:
- legislate (make laws). They debate and vote on laws.
- oversee. They oversee government action in various ways.
- represent. They act as intermediaries between the public and the state.
When not sitting in the National Assembly, MNAs work in their ridings and handle requests from the people they represent.
How to vote
To have the right to vote, you must be a Canadian citizen registered on the list of voters for your district. You must be 18 or more on voting day and have been living in Quebec since at least April 1, 2018.
To learn more, visit the website of Élections Québec.
Did you know . . .
This year, for the first time, children can also vote! They don’t vote for MNAs but on a question about democracy and the electoral process. Voting booths are set up for them in polling stations, and their votes are counted on election night. The idea is to involve children in the democratic process at an early age.