UPDATE: PCs win most seats in N.B. election, Liberals vow to maintain power
Voters in New Brunswick turned their backs on the province’s entrenched two-party system on Monday, electing enough third party candidates to leave the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives in a virtual dead heat in what is sure to be a minority legislature.
READ MORE: All our New Brunswick election 2018 coverage
More than three hours after the polls closed, the Tories were leading or elected in 22 seats, the incumbent Liberals had 21, the right-of-centre People’s Alliance had three and the Greens three. The NDP was shut out of the race.
WATCH: New Brunswick election coverage
A total of 25 seats is needed for a majority in the 49-seat house, which means the third parties were poised to play a key role in deciding who governs the province: incumbent Liberal Brian Gallant or Progressive Conservative Blaine Higgs.
Higgs claimed victory, saying his team had a mandate.
But Gallant said he plans to meet Tuesday with the province’s lieutenant governor to explain that he intends to continue governing the province by securing support in the legislature on a vote-by-vote basis.