Voted early, then the candidate quit? Here's what happens to your ballot

Imola Ilyes says she feels like she might as well have burned her ballot, or ripped it to shreds. 

Ilyes, who lives in the Toronto-St Paul's riding, cast her vote for NDP candidate Sidney Coles via advance poll on Monday. 

Less than two days later, it was confirmed Coles was out of the race over tweets that suggested Israel was somehow responsible for missing doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. 

Coles is one of a number of candidates from several parties who have dropped out, or have been dumped, during this election — including another NDP candidate running in Nova Scotia, who also resigned this week over online comments. 

"It doesn't count for anything now," Ilyes said of her vote. "Her campaign is finished." 

As someone who was torn between voting Green and NDP, Ilyes says she's particularly disappointed over the lost opportunity for her riding to coalesce around one progressive candidate capable of taking on Liberal incumbent Carolyn Bennett. 

"Unfortunately, to stand any chance of beating Carolyn Bennett, the progressive vote would have to be quite united. And a lot of people already voted for [Coles,] she said.