Voters head to polls for byelection in Nanaimo, an important indicator ahead of federal vote

Voters are heading to the polls to elect a member of Parliament in the British Columbia riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith today in what could be an indicator of the October federal election.

The leaders of the Liberals, Conservatives, Greens, NDP and the People’s Party of Canada have all visited the riding since the byelection was called.

READ MORE: Nanaimo-Ladysmith byelection 2019 cheat sheet: A last-minute voter’s guide

David Black, a political communications expert at Royal Roads University in Victoria, says that highlights the importance of the vote so close to a federal election.

He says the parties would have used the byelection as a study for political messaging before the Oct. 21 general election.

New Democrat Sheila Malcolmson resigned the seat in January to successfully run for the B-C New Democrats in the provincial riding.

WATCH: Latest Ipsos federal election poll shows shift in support

1:12 Latest Ipsos federal election poll shows shift in support

There was a 75 per cent turnout when she won the federal riding in 2015, and Black says such a high return can lead to a less predictable race.

Malcolmson won with 33 per cent of the vote, while the Liberal and Conservative candidates both received over 23 per cent support and the Green candidate took almost 20 per cent of votes.

READ MORE: Reality Check: How much do byelections really tell us about Canadian politics?

There are seven candidates running in the byelection: New Democrat Bob Chamberlin, Jennifer Clarke of the People’s Party of Canada, Liberal Michelle Corfield, Conservative John Hirst, Jakob Letkemann of the National Citizens Alliance, Green Paul Manly and Brian Marlatt of the Progressive Canadian Party.