Press release
2026 Provincial Elections: Results of the Judicial Recount in the Electoral Division of Vachon
21 october 2026
Categories: General election, Provincial, Results and statistics
Following the judicial recount held in the electoral division of Vachon, Stephan Fogaing, candidate for the Parti québécois, received the greatest number of votes. The recount conducted by the Court of Québec on October 19, 20 and 21, 2026, at the Longueuil courthouse shows that the margin separating him from Affine Lwalalika, candidate for the Parti libéral du Québec, is 3 votes.
| Candidates Political affiliation |
Number of valid votes following the addition of the votes | Number of valid votes following the judicial recount | Difference, in number of votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephan Fogaing Parti québécois |
10,053 | 10,023 | -30 |
| Affine Lwalalika Parti libéral du Québec/Quebec Liberal Party |
10,063 | 10,020 | -43 |
| Ian Lafrenière Équipe Christine Fréchette – Coalition avenir Québec |
7,614 | 7,607 | -7 |
| Martine Boucher Parti conservateur du Québec |
4,763 | 4,721 | -42 |
| Magdouda Oudjit Québec solidaire |
3,807 | 3,800 | -7 |
| Martine Lajoie Climat Québec – Équipe Martine Ouellet |
262 | 260 | -2 |
| Following the addition of the votes | Following the judicial recount | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of rejected ballot papers | 588 | 730 |
Context surrounding the holding of this judicial recount
The Election Act provides that a second-place candidate may request a judicial recount if the difference in votes separating them from the first-place candidate is less than one-thousandth of the votes cast. This corresponded to 37 votes in the electoral division of Vachon. The second-place candidate received 10 fewer votes than the first-place candidate; this was therefore the reason for their application for a judicial recount.
Following a hearing with representatives of the two political parties concerned, the Court of Québec agreed on October 13 to proceed with a recount of the votes.
History of judicial recounts in Québec
Since 2000, there have been seven judicial recounts during provincial elections. There were none during the 2022 provincial election.
Few judicial recounts have changed the outcome of the election in an electoral division. In 2018, such a recount overturned the result of the election in the electoral division of Gaspé. The situation was attributable to a transcription error of the results on the statement of votes at a single polling station. Prior to 2018, the last judicial recounts that changed the outcome of an election occurred in the electoral divisions of Hull and Papineau during the 1976 general election.
Two judicial recounts resulted in ties: in 2003, in the electoral division of Champlain, and in 1994, in the electoral division of Saint-Jean. This result led to a new election.
Reasons that may justify holding judicial recounts
The Election Act provides for three scenarios that can lead to a judicial recount following a provincial election.
- It takes place automatically if the first-place candidates have the same number of votes at the end of the addition of the votes.
- The second-place candidate may request one if the difference in votes separating them from first place is less than one-thousandth of the votes cast.
- Any person may apply if they have reasonable grounds to believe that a deputy returning officer or the returning officer has unlawfully counted or rejected ballot papers or drawn up an incorrect statement of votes.
About Élections Québec
Élections Québec is a non-partisan and independent institution striving to ensure the integrity, transparency, and reliability of elections and to contribute to the vitality of the Québec democracy.
In practical terms, the institution organizes provincial elections in cooperation with the returning officers of Québec’s 127 electoral divisions. In addition, it designs and offers several democracy education programs; it ensures compliance with the rules on political financing; and it acts as public prosecutor to ensure compliance with Québec’s electoral laws.
