NDP's Laura Mae Lindo wins in Kitchener Centre
NDP candidate Laura Mae Lindo was elected in Kitchener Centre Thursday night. With all 66 polls reporting, Lindo captured about 43 per cent of the votes cast.
- Progressive Conservative Mary Henein Thorn took about 27 per cent of the ballots and Liberal incumbent Daiene Vernile took about 20 per cent.
- Green candidate Stacey Danckert won about seven per cent.
- Libertarian Jason Erb and None of the Above Direct Democracy Party candidate Chris Carr each took one per cent.
- Communist Martin Suter took about 0.2 per cent of the votes.
Voter turnout in the riding was about 59 per cent.
Riding history
Vernile won the seat in 2014 and served on a number of committees before she was named a cabinet minister in January when she became the minister of tourism, culture and sport.
Prior to Vernile's win, the seat had been held by another Liberal, John Milloy, who served as MPP from 2003 to 2014.
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Before Milloy, the riding was PC blue with Wayne Wettlaufer holding the seat from 1995 to 2003.
Vernile faces a challenge from several candidates: NDP candidate Laura Mae Lindo, known for her work at Wilfrid Laurier University's diversity and equity office.
PC candidate Mary Henein Thorn was a familiar face to party members because she used to work for former PC MPP Michael Harris as well as former federal human resource minister Diane Finley.
Green candidate Stacey Danckert has worked with the Waterloo Region Environment Network.
This riding also had the only None of the Above Direct Democracy Party candidates with Chris Carr.
Jason Erb was the Libertarian candidate and Martin Suter was the Communist candidate.
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