Overview

• Voting is underway in Battle River—Crowfoot, where Elections Canada is using blank write-in ballots to handle a record 214 candidates, many linked to the Longest Ballot Committee protest, and will count misspelled names if voter intent is clear.
• The district is one of Canada’s safest Conservative seats, and analysts say Poilievre is favored but will be judged on whether he delivers a commanding share near the riding’s usual 80%-plus.
• The by-election was triggered after incumbent Damien Kurek resigned in June to open the seat, following Poilievre’s April loss of his longtime Ottawa-area riding.
• Elections Canada expects results may take longer to report because of the write-in process, though officials authorized counting to begin two hours before polls close.
• Advance polls recorded 14,454 ballots, exceeding the riding’s advance turnout in April, pointing to unusually high early participation.