Parry Sound-Muskoka votes: the 2018 provincial election

Watch here for ongoing election coverage during the 2018 provincial election on June 7! The polls close at 9:00 p.m. EDT. [ Read: Your need-to-know for Ontario Election 2018 ]

Election Night Updates

Time stamp 11:59 pm – Unofficial results

• Ballots cast: 47,154
  • Norm Miller, PC – 22,664
  • Erin Horvath, NDP – 10,394
  • Matt Richter, Green – 9,438
  • Brenda Rhodes, Liberal – 4,071
  • Jeff Mole, Independent – 219
  • Chris Packer, Libertarian – 196
  • Joshua MacDonald, None of the Above – 172
• Eligible voters: 76,319
• Voter turnout: 61.8 per cent

Time stamp 10:45pm

Norm Miller thanks supporters during his victory speech with his wife, Christine, by his side.

Norm Miller will once more represent Parry Sound-Muskoka at Queen’s Park, but this time he’ll be part of a ruling majority government under PC leader Doug Ford.

“I’m really excited that after 15 years in opposition, to actually get a chance to be in government. I’m really happy about that.”

Miller said he was a bit nervous as he watched the polls.

“I was nervous about what the results were going to be. Across the province the polls were so close all the time and they varied a lot… I really didn’t assume anything across the province or here in the riding,” he said. During his victory speech he thanked his supporters and sent a greeting to all the candidates who ran in the election. He said he looks forward to working hard for the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding and sees the future of hospitals in the riding as one of his first orders of business.

“Certainly in terms of getting things done, the big issue in the Muskoka side of the riding is maintaining two full functioning hospitals – one in Huntsville and Bracebridge. That’s certainly on the top of my list.”

Miller said he’s pleased that the leader of the party has been asked that question specifically and has stated that he supports that very same stance. “That’s good news,” he said.

Time stamp 10:25pm

Matt Richter thanks his supporters gathered at the Pine Lodge Inn in Port Sydney

“More people have voted NDP-Green-Liberal than the PCs. This isn’t a slant or an attack at Norm (Miller) but this is a recognition of what we’ve been saying all along this whole campaign: politics needs to be done better and it involves working across party lines. I’m certain Norm will honour the points the Green Party has put forward and everything we’ve been championing. This is the furthest thing from a lost cause. We have made politics better for Parry Sound-Muskoka.” ~Parry Sound-Muskoka Green Party candidate Matt Richter

Time stamp 9:55pm – 62 of 102 polls in Parry-Sound Muskoka have now reported. Norm Miller (PC) has an indisputable lead at 16306, Erin Horvath (NDP) has pulled into second place with 7702, Matt Richter (Green) has 7595 and Brenda Rhodes (Lib) has 3050.

Time stamp 9:30pm – First 20 polls reporting. Norm Miller 6918, Matt Richter 3326, Erin Horvath 3259, Brenda Rhodes 1180.

Time stamp 9:27pm – First 16 polls reporting. Norm Miller 5574, Matt Richter 2741, Erin Horvath 2456, Brenda Rhodes 922.

Time stamp 9:22pm – First 10 polls reporting. Norm MIller 3697, Matt Richter 1776, Erin Horvath 1577, Brenda Rhodes 601.

Because of the close popular vote between the Conservatives and the NDP in spite of the predictions of a Conservative majority, the results tonight will be determined by voter turnout. The margins in ridings needed by the Conservatives to win, are so thin ,within the margin of error, that anything but a strong Conservative turnout, could be a spoiler for the Conservatives. Pollster have been wrong before. In a few minutes, we will see how well they did this time.
Early thoughts – Looks like a Tory sweep. History made if Green Party wins in Guelph and it looks like they will.
Hugh Mackenzie, Huntsville Doppler

Where will the Parry Sound-Muskoka candidates be?

• Erin Horvath, NDP: Huntsville Brewhouse, 59 Main Street E. Huntsville
• Norm Miller, PC: Kirrie Glen Golf Course, 1838 Kirrie Glen Road., Hwy 118 W, Bracebridge
• Brenda Rhodes, Liberal: 111 Manitoba Street, Bracebridge
• Matt Richter, Green: Pine Lodge, 484 Muskoka Road 10, Port Sydney

By the numbers: in advance of the 2018 provincial election

Parry Sound-Muskoka

• Candidates: 7
• Candidates by party:
  • Green: Matt Richter
  • Independent: Jeff Mole
  • Liberal: Brenda Rhodes
  • Libertarian: Christopher Packer
  • NDP: Erin Horvath
  • None of the Above Party/Direct Democracy Party: Joshua MacDonald
  • PC: Norm Miller (incumbent)

Ontario

• Number of seats: 124 (up from 107)
• Seats needed to form a majority government: 63
• Advance voter turnout: 768,895 (estimated, June 4, 2018), up from 647,261 in 2014

Source: Elections Ontario

By the numbers: a look back at the 2014 provincial election

Parry Sound-Muskoka

• Candidates: 5
• Eligible voters: 75,153
• Ballots cast: 39,165
  • Valid ballots: 38,698
  • Rejected ballots: 147
  • Unmarked ballots: 55
  • Declined ballots: 265
• Voter turnout: 52.1 per cent
• Ballots cast by candidate:
  • Norm Miller, PC – 15,761 (40.73 per cent)
  • Dan Waters, Liberal – 10,158 (26.25 per cent)
  • Matt Richter, Green – 7,484 (19.34 per cent)
  • Clyde Mobbley, NDP – 4,999 (12.92 per cent)
  • Andy Stivrins, Freedom Party – 296 (0.76 per cent)

Ontario

• Registered parties: 26
• Eligible voters: 9,526,031
• Ballots cast: 4,885,493
  • Valid ballots: 4,820,547
  • Rejected ballots: 22,885
  • Unmarked ballots: 12,124
  • Declined ballots: 29,937
• Voter turnout: 51.3 per cent
• Ballots cast by party (top five):
  • Ontario Liberal Party: 1,863,974
  • PC Party of Ontario: 1,508,811
  • Ontario NDP: 1,144,822
  • Green Party of Ontario: 232,536
  • Ontario Libertarian Party: 37,696
• Candidates elected: 107
  • Ontario Liberal Party seats: 58
  • PC Party of Ontario seats: 28
  • Ontario NDP seats: 21

Source: Elections Ontario

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