Party leaders launch N.B. election bids

New Brunswick's election campaign started just after midnight and leaders of the province's five political parties are fanning out across the province on Thursday in what is expected to be a hard-fought 32-day race.

Gone are the days of suspense and waiting to see if the premier shows up at the lieutenant-governor's residence to ask for the legislature to be dissolved.

The province's fixed election date law means the election writs were automatically issued at 12:01 on Thursday morning.

Party workers were busy putting up signs just after midnight and supporters were flooding social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, with updates, well-wishing and a lot of accusations.

Liberal Leader Shawn Graham will hold a campaign kick-off event on Thursday in Fredericton.

Graham will be announcing a series of policy statements relating to seniors issues later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative David Alward has started his quest for the premier's office near the Mactaquac hydroelectric dam on Thursday morning.

Alward has pushed energy issues for the last two days and has already promised to freeze NB Power rates for three years.

Alward is trying to become the first opposition leader to knock off a premier after only one term.

New Democratic Party Leader Roger Duguay will be campaigning in his northeastern riding of Tracadie-Sheila on Thursday.

The NDP had a disastrous 2006 election campaign and have been without a seat in the legislature since 2004 when former leader Elizabeth Weir resigned.

New Brunswick voters will have two new parties to vote for on Sept. 27.

The Green party and the People's Alliance Party of New Brunswick are also fielding candidates in this campaign.

When the legislature adjourned, there were 32 Liberals, 21 Tories and two vacancies.