Canadian candidate makes history with zero votes in contested federal election

In a remarkable turn of events, Félix-Antoine Hamel created history by becoming the first candidate in the history of Canadian elections to receive zero votes in a highly contested federal election. Hamel was among the 84 candidates who bravely participated in a Toronto by-election initiated by the Longest Ballot Committee, an election reform group determined to create the lengthiest ballot in Canadian history, SSP reported.

Although Hamel was the sole candidate who failed to garner any votes, he humbly acknowledged that he did not vote for himself either due to his non-resident status in Toronto, thus making him ineligible to participate in casting a ballot. Reflecting on this unusual outcome, Hamel shared his perspective with CBC News, stating humorously, "When I saw the result, I was like: 'Well, I am the true unity candidate. Everyone agrees not to vote for me.'"

The Library of Parliament database confirmed that Hamel's unprecedented outcome rendered him the pioneer in Canadian electoral records, as no other candidate had previously experienced a complete absence of votes in a contested election. It's worth noting that there have been instances of candidates winning uncontested races without a single vote. Alongside Hamel, six other candidates in the same race received merely two votes each.

Undeterred by his unique distinction, Hamel admitted that he wasn't entirely taken aback by the election's outcome. Nevertheless, he found amusement in discovering his unexpected and unusual place in Canadian history. Reflecting on his new role, he wryly mused, "I'm one of the last people that would be expected to make Canadian history in any way."