Conservative Party candidate Andrea Johnson and Liberal incumbent Jenica Atwin traded the vote lead several times in the Fredericton riding, well into the early morning hours Tuesday.
As of 6:30 a.m., Atwin was in the lead with 15,187 votes, or 36.8 per cent of the overall vote, while Johnson was close behind with 14,686 votes (35.6 per cent).
Shawn Oldenburg with the New Democratic Party follows at 5,391 votes (13.1 per cent) and Nicole O’Byrne with the Green Party trails with 5,383 votes (13 per cent).
The Fredericton riding was projected to be one of the tightest ridings to call in New Brunswick. As of 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, 153 out of 154 polling stations had reported results.
Several hundred mail-in ballots still haven’t been counted and aren’t expected to be until later on Tuesday, which means it could take time before Elections Canada can declare an official winner.
Speaking at the Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook hotel before numbers were called, Atwin thanked her supporters and campaign members for their trust in her over the last 35 days on the campaign trail.
“My heart is so full of gratitude, we have come through quite a journey together,” Atwin said to supporters.
“To see how we’ve grown into a family over these last 35 days has really meant the world to me, and I’m reminded every day that I made the right choice to join the Liberal Party of Canada.”
Atwin was elected in the 2019 federal election under the Green banner — the first Green MP east of British Columbia at the time. She then crossed the floor to the Liberals this past June.
Atwin said she believes the move affected voting in a “big way,” but she hopes it led to a positive outcome. She says many people had questions, but she and her team worked to address their concerns.
“It’s been interesting, it’s been a different journey than what I was on in 2019,” said Atwin. ”But overwhelmingly, it was positive at the doors when people asked me about the transition.”
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