Quebecers head to the polls today to elect their next government

After more than five weeks of listening to promises by candidates from across the political spectrum, the day has finally come for Quebecers to have their say on who will form the next government. 

It's election day, and polling stations are open from 9:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. to allow you to cast your ballot. Click here to find out what riding you're in and where you need to go to vote. 

Remember, on polling day, every adult who works full or part time is entitled to four hours to vote with no reduction in pay or other penalty, although an employee must request this time off in advance, among other conditions. 

Before heading out, make sure you have everything you need to show you are eligible to vote, including a piece of ID such as your driver's licence, health card or Canadian passport. It would also be wise to bring along the yellow reminder card you should have received in the mail from Élections Québec to expedite the voting process. 

But most important, make sure you're registered on the list of electors before setting out for the polls. You can find everything you need to know about the voting process in our Quebec election tool kit.

You haven't yet decided which candidate to vote for, and you are looking to brush up on where the five main parties stand on this election's most pressing issues? Head to CBC's Platform Tracker for an overview. 

While millions of voters are expected to queue up at polling stations across the province throughout the day, a record number of people have already voted in advance polls. 

Some 23 per cent of Quebec's 6.3 million eligible voters cast an early ballot — almost double the percentage that voted early in the 2018 election, according to Élections Québec.

Some people might have to wait a little longer in line this voting day due to a shortage of workers at polling stations.

Élections Québec is still looking for staff to work in 10 ridings across the province, including on the island of Montreal and in western Quebec. 

Spokesperson Julie St-Arnaud Drolet says there could be some delays, but she isn't too worried. 

"We lack [staff] in some areas but not everywhere," she said.

The situation is more serious in the Mauricie riding of Laviolette–Saint-Maurice, where the returning officer says 100 workers have been forced to withdraw from service because they have COVID-19.

"Right now, they're dropping like flies," said Guy-Luc Beaupré. He says about 10 to 15 employees have been calling in sick every day.