New Brunswick election expected to be a tight race between incumbent Liberals, Tories

FREDERICTON – New Brunswick voters go to the polls today in a provincial election that appears to be a tight race between the incumbent Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives.

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant is looking to become the first New Brunswick premier to win a second term since 2003.

The premier cast his vote this morning at the Boys and Girls club in Dieppe. Later tonight he has plans to watch the election results with his family before speaking with supporters in Grande-Digue after the results are made public.

READ MORE: Liberal Leader Brian Gallant optimistic as New Brunswickers head to the polls

Tory Leader Blaine Higgs already voted in an advance poll, but he accompanied his wife Marcia Higgs while she voted at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Quispamsis.

This evening he will wait at home for the election results, before heading to his campaign headquarters to address supporters after the race is called.

WATCH: Perceived tight N.B. election race bring vote splitting issue to the forefront

2:08 Perceived tight N.B. election race bring vote splitting issue to the forefront

Just over a month long, the campaign focused on jobs, the economy and fiscal management, while the role of language in the officially bilingual province also became a lower grade issue on the hustings.

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The two front-runners spent Sunday on one final push to energize supporters and warned of the possibility of vote splitting, as the result of support for third parties.

READ MORE: ‘This is the day,’ says PC Leader Blaine Higgs

Gallant appeared at an event in Moncton with Atlantic Canada’s three other Liberal premiers, before wrapping up the campaign with several stops along the province’s east coast.

Higgs also attended several rallies through central and southern parts of the province before ending his campaign with an event in his home riding of Quispamsis.

Green Party Leader David Coon, People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin, and NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie are vying to establish some influence.

WATCH: New Brunswick election nears finish line with final day of campaigning

1:27 New Brunswick election nears finish line with final day of campaigning

Coon and McKenzie both cast their ballots this morning.

Going into the election campaign the Liberals held 24 seats and the Progressive Conservatives 21, while there was one Green, one Independent and two vacancies.