Still some razor-close races in northern Ontario as election night winds down

Sudbury -

Five of the seven northern Ontario ridings covered by CTV Northern Ontario have been called as of midnight, but two other contests are up in the air.

Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie are particularly close, with the lead changing hands several times throughout the evening.

In Sudbury, Vivian Lapointe is trying to hold on to the Liberal seat previously held by Paul Lefebvre, who stepped down earlier this year.

Lapointe is in a tight race with New Democrat Nadia Verrelli. After trading the lead during the evening, Lapointe pulled ahead after midnight with 32.9 per cent of the vote, compared to 30.7 per cent for Verrelli. That was with 87.27 per cent of the ballots counted.

In Sault Ste. Marie, incumbent Terry Sheehan was in a battle with Conservative Sonny Spina. At midnight, Sheehan had pulled ahead with 37.7 per cent of the vote, with Spina not far behind at 37.3 per cent. The race was still too close to call even with 95.11 per cent of the ballots cast.

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing

Elsewhere in the north, CTV News has declared New Democrat Carol Hughes the winner in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing.

Hughes was first elected in 2008 and has held the riding since then for the NDP. She had 39.6 per cent of the votes, ahead of Conservative John Sagman with 28.2 per cent, with 200 of 220 polls reporting.

Parry Sound-Muskoka

And in Parry-Sound Muskoka, Conservative Scott Aitchison will retain his seat, CTV News has declared.

With 229 of 234 polls reporting, Aitchison has 47.8 per cent of the vote, well ahead of Liberal Jovanie Nicoyishakiye, who is in second place with 21.4 per cent.

The former Huntsville mayor first won the seat in 2019.

Timmins-James Bay

In Timmins James-Bay, NDP incumbent extended his 17-year run as Timmins-James Bay's MP.

Angus, who has held the seat since 2004 for the New Democrats, won 34.7 per cent of the vote, beating Conservative Morgan Ellerton, who has 28.2 per cent of the vote. That's with 81.25 per cent of the polls reporting.

Nickel Belt

In Nickel Belt, Liberal Marc Serré is returning to the House of Commons. With 96.65 per cent of the polls reporting, Serré had 33.7 per cent of the vote, ahead of second-place candidate Charles Humphrey for the Conservatives who had 27.1.

Serré, who made headlines during the campaign when he was attacked by a woman in his campaign office, has held the seat since 2015.

Nipissing-Timiskaming

In Nipissing-Timiskaming, veteran Liberal MP Anthony Rota has also been re-elected. Rota first won the riding for the Liberals in 2004, lost the seat in a narrow race in 2011, before returning to Ottawa after the 2015 vote.

Monday night, Rota was declared the winner with 37.3 per cent of the vote, with 153 of 191 polls reporting. He defeated Conservative Steve Trahan, who was second with 33.3 per cent of the vote.