Vachon has changed hands after a judicial recount gave Parti Québécois candidate Stephan Fogaing a three-vote victory over Quebec Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika.
The result overturns the Liberal win recorded after Quebec’s October 5, 2026 general election, according to TVA Nouvelles.
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Vachon result overturned after recount
Fogaing was declared the winner on Wednesday, October 21, after ballots in the Longueuil-area riding were reviewed under the supervision of the Court of Québec.
The initial count had placed Lwalalika ahead by 10 votes, with 10,063 votes compared with 10,053 for Fogaing, according to reported election results.
The recount reversed that outcome and left Fogaing three votes ahead.
The change gives the Parti Québécois an additional seat in the National Assembly and increases the party’s caucus to 60 members, according to the recount report.
Why the Vachon recount was ordered
The PQ requested a judicial recount after the first verified count showed only 10 votes separating the two leading candidates.
Under Quebec’s election rules, a second-place candidate may seek a judicial recount when the margin falls below the statutory threshold tied to the number of votes cast.
The request must be made through the Court of Québec rather than being triggered automatically in every close race, as reported at the time.
The riding’s initial result was especially close compared with the size of the vote.
Six candidates received votes in Vachon, while 588 ballots were recorded as rejected in the original count.
The final legal determination, however, depended on the ballots and election documents examined during the judicial process rather than on the rejected-ballot total alone, according to the riding’s election records.
A sharp reversal from election night
Lwalalika appeared to have won Vachon on election night and remained ahead after the returning officer’s review of the vote totals.
Fogaing’s request kept the seat unresolved for more than two weeks after the October 5 election.
The judicial recount began October 19 and concluded with the PQ candidate holding the narrowest possible winning margin short of a tie, according to reported recount details.
| Stage | Leading candidate | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Initial verified result | Affine Lwalalika, PLQ | 10 votes |
| Judicial recount | Stephan Fogaing, PQ | 3 votes |
What the result means for Quebec politics
The Vachon decision changes the final seat distribution following an election in which several ridings were closely contested.
For the PQ, the result converts a narrow defeat into a seat and gives leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon a larger legislative caucus.
The party had publicly sought the recount because winning Vachon would increase its representation in the National Assembly.
For the Quebec Liberal Party, the result removes a seat that had initially been counted among its victories.
The party’s next steps may depend on whether it challenges the recount decision or accepts the court-supervised result.
Reports circulating on Wednesday said the Liberals had not immediately conceded, but a formal legal challenge would have to follow the applicable court process, according to election reporting.
The riding is located in Longueuil’s Saint-Hubert borough and was previously represented by former Coalition avenir Québec minister Ian Lafrenière.
Lafrenière finished third in the October election with 7,614 votes, behind both Lwalalika and Fogaing, according to the reported riding results.
What happens next
Fogaing’s victory must now be reflected in the official election records and the membership of the National Assembly.
The result also illustrates how a small number of disputed or reclassified ballots can change the winner when the leading candidates are separated by only a handful of votes.
Any further legal step would concern the recount process or the court’s handling of the ballots, not a new general election in the riding.
Vachon is not the only Quebec riding to face post-election scrutiny.
A separate judicial recount was also authorized in Champlain, where the Parti Québécois challenged the result of another close race, according to reported election developments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Vachon after the judicial recount?
Parti Québécois candidate Stephan Fogaing won Vachon by three votes over Quebec Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika.
What was the original Vachon election result?
Affine Lwalalika was initially declared the winner by 10 votes, receiving 10,063 votes compared with 10,053 for Stephan Fogaing.
When did the Vachon recount take place?
The judicial recount began on October 19, 2026, and the result was announced on October 21, 2026.
Why was a judicial recount allowed in Vachon?
The Parti Québécois requested a recount because the margin between the top two candidates was below Quebec’s legal threshold for seeking judicial review of the vote.
Does the Vachon result affect the Parti Québécois seat count?
Yes. The result gives the Parti Québécois an additional National Assembly seat, bringing its caucus to 60 members according to reports on the recount.
Fact-Checked: Key facts were checked against Élections Québec results and current reporting on the Court of Québec-supervised recount.
Disclaimer: The result may remain subject to any further legal challenge permitted under Quebec election law.