Tuxedo byelection slated for June 18

The electoral seat of former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson is up for the taking. 

A byelection to fill the vacancy in the Tuxedo constituency will be held on June 18, a news release from the province confirmed on Monday. 

The race became necessary after Stefanson, who served as premier until her electoral defeat last October, resigned her Tuxedo seat. 

Tuxedo has historically been a stronghold of the Progressive Conservatives, but the NDP came within 300 votes of upsetting the Tories last year. 

“I definitely wish I would have gone canvassing in Tuxedo,” Premier Wab Kinew said, at an unrelated news conference earlier this month.

Under provincial law, a byelection must be held within six months of the seat becoming vacant.

The NDP is scheduled to announce its candidate at a party event on Monday afternoon. 

Former MLA Shannon Martin, real estate agent Lori Shenkarow and family lawyer Lawrence Pinsky are all in the running for the Progressive Conservative nomination.

The Tories have made Tuesday the last day for party candidates to sign up new members. The candidate is supposed to be chosen on June 5, but that could come sooner as a result of the byelection’s approaching date.

The Manitoba Liberals told CBC News last week that two people were completing the party’s candidate application forms.

Source