While the Bloc Quebécois and the Conservatives each eye the Quebec City area as a key battleground in this election, voters living near the city centre must feel awash in ballot box options.

The tree-lined streets of the city's west end are covered over with more election posters than many other communities. That's because, on top of the federal campaign, Quebec's three main provincial parties are waging a by-election here to replace premier Jean Charest's long-time health minister who quit last June.

That means posters for the federal Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and Bloc, are intermingled with those of the provincial Liberals, Action Democratique, and Parti Quebecois candidates — often sharing the same telephone poll.

The provincial vote is on September 29, just over two weeks before the country goes to the polls on October 14.