The byelection to replace retiring NDP MLA Maureen MacDonald in the constituency of Halifax-Needham happened Tuesday.

The polls were open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"All 34 polling stations in nine polling locations in Halifax-Needham opened on time and were ready for processing electors at 8 a.m. this morning," said Ron Skibbens, returning officer for the riding, in a news release.

The candidates are:

Progressive Conservative Andy Arsenault, a former RCMP inspector and north-end Halifax business owner.

Liberal Rod Wilson, a family physician and executive director of the North End Community Health Centre.

NDP Lisa Roberts, executive director of Veith House and a former CBC journalist.

Green Thomas Trappenberg, a computer science professor at Dalhousie University.

Peter Gzowski, assistant chief electoral officer​ for Nova Scotia, said in a news release Monday that the number of electors voting at advance polls is up slightly over previous years. As of Monday at 8:30 a.m., 836 people voted in the advance poll, compared to 792 during the 2013 provincial election — an increase of five per cent.

He attributes that to increasing the number of days offered for the advance poll from two to seven.

MacDonald was MLA for the area but retired from politics in April. MacDonald was first elected in 1998 as an MLA for Halifax-Needham. She was re-elected in 1999, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2013.