Closely Contested Election Sees Three Canadian Ridings Decided By Fewer Than 50 Votes

Closely Contested Election Sees Three Canadian Ridings Decided By Fewer Than 50 Votes

In the nail-biting aftermath of Canada's 2025 federal election, some races were decided by the slenderest of margins. As of Tuesday night, at least nine candidates had secured their seats by mere hundreds of votes. The importance of every ballot is underscored by the fact that three of these contests were decided by less than 50 ballots.

With final votes still being tallied and several of these ridings potentially subject to judicial recounts, results could yet change dramatically. Here's a rundown of some of the closest races:

1. Terra Nova-The Peninsulas, N.L. - 12 votes: In Canada's tightest race, Anthony Germain held this Newfoundland riding for the Liberals with just 12 more votes than his Conservative rival, Jonathan Rowe. A judicial recount is expected in this closely fought contest.
2. Milton East-Halton Hills South, Ont. - 29 votes: Following a vote validation process, Liberal Kristina Tesser Derksen was declared the winner of this new Ontario riding after edging out Conservative Parm Gill by just 29 votes. Previously serving as a Conservative MP from 2011 to 2015 and an Ontario MPP between 2018 and 2024, Gill is likely to seek a recount.
3. Terrebonne, Que. - 44 votes: Another incredibly close contest had Bloc Quebecois incumbent Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné fending off Liberal challenger Tatiana Auguste by a mere 44 votes. The outcome came after a vote validation process. A judicial recount is expected in this tight race.
4. Nunavut - 77 votes: NDP MP Lori Idlout barely held onto her Nunavut seat after beating Liberal candidate Kilikvak Kabloona by only 77 votes in a close three-way race with the Conservatives. A judicial recount is likely in this hard-fought contest.
5. Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore, Ont. - 233 votes: Conservative Kathy Borrelli was declared the winner in this Ontario riding after beating Liberal incumbent Irek Kusmierczyk by 233 votes.
6. Vancouver Kingsway, B.C. - 310 votes: The NDP clung to this Vancouver seat, with incumbent Don Davies beating Liberal challenger Amy Gill by 310 votes.
7. Brampton Centre, Ont. - 340 votes: Young political newcomer Amandeep Sodhi snatched this Ontario seat for the Liberals after winning over Conservative challenger Taran Chahal by 340 votes.
8. Kitchener Centre, Ont. - 358 votes: The Green Party lost this key Ontario riding as Conservative challenger Kelly DeRidder beat incumbent Mike Morrice by 358 votes.
9. Miramichi-Grand Lake, N.B. - 394 votes: Mike Dawson, a former provincial MLA, secured this N.B. seat for the Conservatives with 394 votes more than Liberal challenger Lisa Harris.

What's a judicial recount?

A judicial recount can occur automatically in exceptionally close races or after an application in cases of errors or irregularities. Automatic judicial recounts must take place if the difference between the top two candidates is less than one one-thousandth of the total number of votes that were cast in the riding. For example, if 50,000 ballots were cast in a riding, a judicial recount would have to occur if the margin of victory was less than 50 votes.

So close races may soon be decided, and every vote counts in Canadian politics. Stay tuned as more information becomes available. In the meantime, check out our interactive results map for the latest updates on individual ridings.

1. In the tightly contested riding of Terra Nova-The Peninsulas in Newfoundland, Anthony Germain won by a slim margin of 12 votes over his Conservative rival, Jonathan Rowe, and a judicial recount is expected.
2. The Ontario riding of Milton East-Halton Hills South saw Liberal Kristina Tesser Derksen edge out Conservative Parm Gill by just 29 votes after a vote validation process, making a recount likely.
3. Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, the Bloc Quebecois incumbent of Terrebonne, Que., managed to secure a mere 44-vote victory over her Liberal challenger, Tatiana Auguste, in an incredibly close contest. A judicial recount is expected in this race.
4. NDP MP Lori Idlout held onto her Nunavut seat with only a 77-vote advantage over Liberal candidate Kilikvak Kabloona, and a judicial recount is likely in this hard-fought contest.
5. The NDP also maintained a narrow 310-vote lead in Vancouver Kingsway, B.C., with incumbent Don Davies beating Liberal Amy Gill.
6. Another close race saw Brampton Centre, Ont., being won by newcomer Amandeep Sodhi for the Liberals, with a 340-vote margin over the Conservative candidate, Taran Chahal.
7. The Green Party lost the crucial Ontario riding of Kitchener Centre to Conservative Kelly DeRidder, with DeRidder securing a 358-vote margin of victory over incumbent Mike Morrice.
8. Mike Dawson, a former provincial MLA, secured the N.B. seat of Miramichi-Grand Lake for the Conservatives with 394 votes more than Liberal Lisa Harris.
9. In Canadian elections, a judicial recount can be triggered automatically in exceptionally close races or after an application when there are errors or irregularities. For example, if 50,000 ballots were cast in a riding, a judicial recount would have to occur if the margin of victory was less than 50 votes.

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