Advance voting begins in the provincial constituency of Arthabaska

MONTRÉAL — Electors in the provincial riding of Arthabaska are taking part in advance polling starting today ahead of a byelection on Aug. 11.

Voters will be able to cast a ballot today and Monday and will have at least 10 candidates from which to chose in the hotly contested riding previously held by the governing Coalition Avenir Québec.

The main fight seems to pit the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, and Parti Québécois candidate Alex Boissonneault.

The Coalition is running Keven Brasseur in attempt to hold the riding, while the Opposition Quebec Liberals and Québec solidaire are also running candidates.

The byelection was triggered after the departure of Éric Lefebvre, who left the Quebec government to run federally and was elected in the April election as an MP for Richmond-Arthabaska with the Conservative Party of Canada.

The riding was easily won by Lefebvre in October 2022, when he captured 51.75 per cent of votes, finishing more than 12,000 votes ahead of his closest rival.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2025.