Manitoba NDP Leader Greg Selinger claimed victory once again in his home constituency of St. Boniface, which he has represented since 1999.

Selinger, 60, garnered nearly 70 per cent of the vote and finished about 4,000 votes ahead of his nearest rival Frank Clark (Progressive Conservative).

Brad Gross (Liberal) and and Alain Landry (Green Party) trailed far behind, each earning some 500 votes.

"Today, Manitobans went to the ballot box and voted for optimism," he said in his victory speech.

"Never have I been so optimistic as I am tonight about the future of Manitoba. To all who voted, I thank you for participating, thank you for getting involved in the democratic process."

Selinger choked back tears as he thanked his family for their support through the campaign.

As he cast his ballot Tuesday morning, Selinger said he was optimistic about his party's efforts to win a fourth consecutive term in office.

"I think our candidates have worked really hard. They've made every effort to be in contact with their citizens and their constituents, not just during the election period but over the last four years," he said.

It was Selinger's first campaign as premier. He served as finance minister for 10 years until 2009.

He said being the party's front man has involved a learning curve.

"That was actually one of the fun parts of it," he said. "I like the opportunity to learn new things and to try new experiences and to challenge myself to do better."

With files from The Canadian Press