A Quebec court judge has ordered a judicial recount in the riding of Champlain in the Mauricie region after the Parti Québécois candidate, René Branchaud, requested a review of the Oct. 5 election results.
Recount authorised despite margin
On Oct. 5, Conservative Party of Quebec candidate Adriana Szalontai was declared the winner in Champlain by 191 votes over Branchaud. Because that margin was larger than one‑thousandth of the ballots cast, a recount would not have been automatic. Branchaud nonetheless sought a judicial recount, citing alleged irregularities and procedural errors that he says may have resulted in some ballots being rejected.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Judge Éric Martel ordered the recount to begin Thursday at the Trois‑Rivières courthouse. A spokesperson for Élections Québec noted procedural timing around such rulings.
"A recount must begin within four business days of a ruling,"
The recount will be conducted under court supervision at the Trois‑Rivières courthouse and is expected to follow the timelines set out by provincial electoral authorities.
Context and concurrent recounts
The Champlain recount follows a separate recount that began Monday in the Montérégie riding of Vachon, where results were extremely close. In Vachon, initial figures from Élections Québec showed the Quebec Liberal Party candidate received a narrow lead of 10 votes over the Parti Québécois candidate.
- Champlain: Conservative Adriana Szalontai declared winner by 191 votes over PQ's René Branchaud.
- Vachon: Recount under way after a 10‑vote margin between the Liberal and PQ candidates.
- The recount in Champlain was ordered by Judge Éric Martel and will begin at the Trois‑Rivières courthouse.
The ordered recount underscores the legal avenues available to candidates in Quebec when they allege procedural errors or irregularities in the administration of ballots. While small margins automatically trigger a recount under provincial rules, candidates can still seek a judicial review when they believe mistakes affected vote tabulation or ballot acceptance.
| Riding | Top candidates | Margin noted |
|---|---|---|
| Champlain (Mauricie) | Adriana Szalontai (Conservative) vs René Branchaud (PQ) | 191 votes |
| Vachon (Montérégie) | Affine Lwalalika (Liberal) vs Stephan Fogaing (PQ) | 10 votes |
Élections Québec’s procedural guidance requires that a recount begin within four business days after a judicial ruling, which sets a firm timeline for the Champlain review to proceed. The outcome of the recount could confirm the initial result, narrow or widen the margin, or, in rare cases, change the declared winner — depending on whether ballots previously rejected are accepted or other tabulation issues are identified.
Residents and observers in Champlain and neighbouring ridings will be watching the court‑supervised process closely. The recount will be public and overseen by electoral and court officials to ensure conformance with provincial electoral law and the judge’s directions.
Further updates will be issued as the recount proceeds and as Élections Québec and court officials provide additional information about timing and procedures.
