Nova Scotia ridings to watch and what you need to know to vote today

Today is election day and after weeks of campaigning it's time for millions of Canadians to cast their ballots in the country's 43rd general election. 

In the 2015 election, the Liberals swept all 11 seats in Nova Scotia. Whether they'll be able to hold those seats is a question Nova Scotians will soon learn the answer to. 

Here are a few Nova Scotia ridings to watch:

Kings-Hants

With former Liberal cabinet minister Scott Brison not on the ballot in 2019, Conservatives have high hopes for Kings-Hants — a federal riding with a long tradition of voting Tory.

The riding encompasses Acadia University, rich farmlands and a fast growing corridor of suburban bedroom communities in East Hants.

West Nova

From Acadian fishing ports to the apple orchards of the Annapolis Valley, people in the riding of West Nova have only ever elected a Liberal or Conservative.

Conservatives hope to break the Liberal stronghold in Atlantic Canada by winning rural ridings like West Nova.

Central Nova

The future of the Northern Pulp mill hangs over the election underway in the federal riding of Central Nova. At stake are hundreds of jobs, the environment and a promise to right a wrong done to an Indigenous community in northern Nova Scotia.

Sydney-Victoria

In Cape Breton, seven candidates are looking to take up the mantle from Mark Eyking, the long-time Liberal MP in Sydney-Victoria, who retired this year.

The closest the Conservative Party came to ousting Eyking was in 2011 when Cecil Clarke, who later became the mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, ran and lost by about 750 votes.

Cumberland-Colchester

Voters in the federal riding of Cumberland-Colchester have consistently sent Conservatives to Ottawa, but they also supported Bill Casey's jump to the Liberals.

Casey is not reoffering, and voters in this riding have chosen Conservative candidates in 17 of the last 20 general elections.

South Shore-St. Margarets

Bernadette Jordan rode a wave for change into government four years ago. She's hoping to do something no other Liberal has in a generation — win back-to-back elections in the traditionally Conservative riding of South Shore-St. Margarets.

Her Conservative rival, Rick Perkins, is trying to oust the only Nova Scotian MP in Justin Trudeau's cabinet.

Halifax ridings

Metro Halifax's four ridings went Liberal red in 2015. There is no certainty the party will hold them in the face of strong opposition from the other parties vying for the seats.

What you need to know to vote

If you haven't received a voter information card in the mail — they were sent weeks ago — then you can find your designated polling station by using the postal code search on the Elections Canada website here or call 1-800-463-6868.

On that website, you can also find out who the candidates are in your local riding. Their names — and, if applicable, party affiliation — are listed on the physical ballot you'll receive from the poll clerk.

Unlike many other countries, Canada allows for same-day voter registration. That means if you aren't yet registered to vote, you can also do that today at your assigned polling station.

More information about rules around your employer allowing you time off to vote can be found here.

What time are the polls open?

Polls are open across the province until 8:30 p.m.

Still undecided? Here are the party platforms

Compare all six main party's policies and promises on issues of importance such as taxes, housing and climate change.

Or, use CBC's Vote Compass to see where your views align with those of the parties.