# Carol Hughes (politician)

Carol R. Hughes MP (born November 26, 1958) is a Canadian politician, who has represented the electoral district of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing in the House of Commons of Canada since 2008. She is a member of the New Democratic Party.
Prior to being elected, she worked as a staff representative for the Canadian Labour Congress. She ran as the NDP's candidate in the 2004 election and the 2006 election, losing to Liberal incumbent Brent St. Denis both times.
She had told the press that she would not run in the 2008 election, but changed her mind after she stopped in Blind River for dinner on her way home from a Canadian Labour Congress meeting, and a couple she had never met approached her and encouraged her to run again. She won the riding in that election, defeating St. Denis, and was re-elected in the 2011 election.
Hughes endorsed Niki Ashton in the 2012 NDP leadership election, and Charlie Angus in the 2017 leadership election.
Hughes has been appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker and Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole for a second time; she previously held this role in the 42nd Parliament.
On April 4, 2024 she announced she would not run again for office in the 45th Canadian federal election.

## Electoral record

vte2021 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 15,895 | 40.2 | -1.4 | $79,081.62 |
| | Conservative | John Sagman | 10,885 | 27.5 | +1.3 | none listed |
| | Liberal | Duke Peltier | 8,888 | 22.5 | -1.8 | $48,545.29 |
| | People's | Harry Jaaskelainen | 2,840 | 7.2 | +5.0 | $1,805.85 |
| | Green | Stephen Zimmermann | 726 | 1.8 | -3.6 | $42.50 |
| | Christian Heritage | Clarence Baarda | 289 | 0.7 | | $9,805.46 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 39,523 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 291 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,814 | 59.88 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 66,487 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | -1.35 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 16,883 | 41.59 | +1.67 | $105,479.79 |
| | Conservative | Dave Williamson | 10,625 | 26.18 | +2.44 | $58,396.49 |
| | Liberal | Heather Wilson | 9,879 | 24.34 | -9.77 | $61,853.69 |
| | Green | Max Chapman | 2,192 | 5.40 | +3.16 | none listed |
| | People's | Dave Delisle | 887 | 2.19 | | none listed |
| | Rhinoceros | Le Marquis de Marmalade | 125 | 0.31 | | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 40,591 | 99.06 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 384 | 0.94 | +0.55 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,975 | 62.17 | -3.49 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 65,906 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | -0.38 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2015 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 16,516 | 39.92 | −10.01 | $79,801.31 |
| | Liberal | Heather Wilson | 14,111 | 34.11 | +19.66 | $36,962.72 |
| | Conservative | André Robichaud | 9,820 | 23.73 | −8.77 | $54,344.43 |
| | Green | Calvin John Orok | 927 | 2.24 | −0.84 | – |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 41,374 | 99.61 | | $247,218.89 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 161 | 0.39 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,535 | 65.66 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 63,253 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | -14.84 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2011 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 18,747 | 51.73 | +6.24 | – |
| | Conservative | Ray Sturgeon | 10,943 | 30.19 | +12.55 | – |
| | Liberal | François Cloutier | 5,375 | 14.83 | -17.70 | – |
| | Green | Lorraine Rekmans | 1,212 | 3.34 | -0.98 | – |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 36,242 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 179 | 0.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,421 | 62.76 |
| | New Democratic Party hold | New Democratic Party hold | Swing | -3.2 | |
vte2008 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 15,249 | 45.49 | +10.98 | $91,893 |
| | Liberal | Brent St. Denis | 10,902 | 32.53 | -5.65 | $90,379 |
| | Conservative | Dianne Musgrove | 5,914 | 17.64 | -5.70 | $8,989 |
| | Green | Lorraine Rekmans | 1,451 | 4.32 | +1.65 | $5,448 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 33,516 | 100.00 | $97,228 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 175 | 0.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,691 | 56.53 |
| | New Democratic Party gain from Liberal | New Democratic Party gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.3 | |
vte2006 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Brent St. Denis | 14,652 | 38.18 | −2.76 | $52,836 |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 13,244 | 34.51 | +2.82 | $51,642 |
| | Conservative | Ian West | 8,957 | 23.34 | +0.13 | $65,745 |
| | Green | Sarah Hutchinson | 1,025 | 2.67 | −1.40 | $647 |
| | First Peoples National | Will Morin | 338 | 0.88 | – | $829 |
| | Independent | Donald Polmateer | 164 | 0.43 | – | none listed |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 38,380 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 216 | 0.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,596 | 63.99 |
| Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | Electors on the lists | 60,311 |
| Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada. |||||||
vte2004 Canadian federal election: Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Brent St. Denis | 14,276 | 40.94 |
| | New Democratic | Carol Hughes | 11,051 | 31.69 |
| | Conservative | Blaine Armstrong | 8,093 | 23.21 |
| | Green | Lindsay Killen | 1,449 | 4.16 |
| Total | Total | Total | 34,869 | 100.00 |