Photo credit: Elections Canada.

It’s Election Day in Canada, but election night could be a long one.

More than 27 million people are eligible to vote across the country.

All ballots are counted by hand once the polls close tonight. Advance poll ballots can get a bit of a head-start, an hour before polls close if the returning officer so chooses.

Close to one million mail in ballots have been returned, which won’t be counted until tomorrow morning at least.

“Given the number of local special ballots we have received, we expect most of the country’s 338 ridings to report the results of their local special ballot count on Tuesday, September 21, and the vast majority to finish counting by Wednesday, September 22,” a statement from Elections Canada says. “However, due to high volumes or logistical challenges, the full count may take up to four days in some ridings.”

99.1 will begin its election night coverage at 9 o’clock, providing updates on the numbers both locally and federally every half hour once the polls close.