Mushkegowuk-James Bay re-elects NDP, voter turnout drops 15%

It was the second election for the Mushkegowuk-James Bay riding after it was created in 2017.

NDP incumbent Guy Bourgouin won re-election with just under 50 per cent of the vote.

He told CTV News in a video interview it's an honour and a privilege to get to serve the community for a second term.

"First priority is to work with the people of Mushkegowuk and listen to them and bring their issues forward to Queen's Park," Bourgoin said.

"We know the issues of the highway, highway maintenance and the doctor shortage. You know the issue of water in our First Nations communities and… affordable housing and it's everything we’ve been talking about since this last election. So these are priorities that were, you know, need to be brought forward."

He beat his nearest competitor, PC candidate Eric Côté, by 824 votes for an 11.4 per cent lead.

The final standings out of 33 polls are:

• NDP Guy Bourgoin with 3,418 votes
• PC Eric Côté with 2,594
• Liberal Matthew Pronvost with 849
• New Blue Party Mike Buckley with 223
• Green Party Catherine Jones with 141
• Ontario Provincial Confederation of Regions Party Fauzia Sadiq with 23

Voter turnout was 39.36 per cent of the 18,416 registered electors, down from 54 per cent in 2018.