Canada Votes 2025: Here's who's running in the Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia areas so far

Canadians will head to the polls on April 28 for a federal election. 

For voters in Ontario, it'll have been just two months since they last went to the polls in the provincial election. 

CBC Windsor will help you stay informed by keeping on top of each local riding, including its candidates, as Canadians prepare to vote. 

In Windsor-area ridings, three major federal parties are represented and each incumbent is seeking re-election: 

• Conservative Dave Epp representing Chatham-Kent—Leamington.
• Liberal Irek Kusmierczyk representing Windsor-Tecumseh. 
• Conservative Chris Lewis in Essex.
• The NDP's Brian Masse in Windsor West.
• Conservative Marilyn Gladu in Sarnia—Lambton.

This election will also be the first time newly redrawn ward boundaries will be put into use.

The riding of Windsor-Tecumseh will turn into Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore, and there are changes to Chatham-Kent—Leamington, Essex and the newly renamed Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong as well.

Here's who's running as of Tuesday, March 25, based on publicly available info and party announcements. This list will be updated with all candidates as more information becomes available. 

Windsor West

This riding — home to the Ambassador Bridge, the soon-to-be-open Gordie Howe International Bridge and the proposed Ojibway National Urban Park — has been represented by Masse since 2002. 

The provincial riding by the same name was a battleground riding in Ontario's recent election, with Premier Doug Ford both launching and concluding his campaign in the area. NDP Leader Marit Stiles also visited twice. 

The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Windsor West. 

• Louay Ahmad — Green Party of Canada.
• Jacob Bezaire — People's Party of Canada.
• Harbinder Gill — Conservative Party of Canada.
• Joey Markham —  Communist Party of Canada.
• Brian Masse — New Democratic Party (incumbent).

Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore

This riding, formerly known as Windsor—Tecumseh, has been redrawn to now include portions of Lakeshore after a redistribution process that ended in September 2023, spearheaded by an independent commission. The riding picks up the portion of Lakeshore north of Highway 401 and west of Puce River, formerly in the riding of Essex. 

Voters will cast their ballots in this newly redrawn riding for the first time. 

The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore. 

• Nick Babic — People's Party of Canada.
• Alex Ilijoski — New Democratic Party.
• Irek Kusmierczyk — Liberal Party of Canada (incumbent). 
• Mark McKenzie — Conservative Party of Canada.

Essex

The riding of Essex includes the towns of Amherstburg, Essex, Kingsville and LaSalle, as well as part of Lakeshore. Under the new boundaries, the riding has been expanded slightly to the northeast, including the communities of Comber and Stoney Point, but some areas west of the Puce River are now part of Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore.

Three federal parties all have announced candidates running for the seat. Incumbent candidate Chris Lewis has held the seat since 2019 and it has been held by Conservatives going back to 2004, with the exception of NDP MP Tracey Ramsey, who held the seat from 2015 to 2019. 

The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Essex.

• Jason Henry — People's Party of Canada.
• Chris Lewis — Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent).
• Chris Sutton — Liberal Party of Canada.
• Lori Wightman — New Democratic Party.

Chatham-Kent—Leamington

In Chatham-Kent—Leamington, incumbent Conservative candidate Dave Epp has held the seat since 2019. It was previously represented by Conservative MP David E. Van Kesteren, who was elected in 2006. Ahead of this election, the riding was expanded significantly to the north to encompass all of Chatham-Kent, taking in a good chunk of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, which was dissolved and absorbed into the surrounding ridings.

The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Chatham-Kent—Leamington.

• Dave Epp — Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent).
• Seamus Fleming — New Democratic Party.
• Trevor Lee — People's Party of Canada. 

Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong

This riding has been represented by Conservative Marilyn Gladu since 2015, and her party has held the riding since the 2006 general election. The new name reflects how Walpole Island (Bkejwanong), previously part of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, is now part of the riding. The riding also includes the city of Sarnia, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and other areas in Lambton County.

• Jacques Boudreau — Libertarian Party of Canada.
• Lo-Anne Chan — New Democratic Party.
• Brian Everaert — People's Party of Canada.
• Marilyn Gladu — Conservative Party of Canada (incumbent).