B.C. NDP wins razor-thin majority after marathon vote count; two recounts pending

VICTORIA — The New Democrats and Premier David Eby were on track to win a bare majority government nine days after voters went to the polls in British Columbia, but the final verdict will still require two judicial recounts to become official.

The incumbent NDP ended the final vote count Monday with 47 seats, defeating John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives, who mounted a serious challenge after receiving less than two per cent of the popular vote in the 2020 election.

That’s exactly the number of seats needed to secure a majority in the 93-seat legislature. The Conservatives won 44 and the Greens took two.

But Elections BC, the province’s independent elections administrator, said two seats, Kelowna Centre and Surrey-Guildford, were so close there would be automatic recounts before the standings of the next legislature are confirmed.

In Kelowna Centre, the Conservatives led the NDP by 38 votes and in Surrey-Guildford, the New Democrats led the Conservatives by 27. The Conservatives actually led in both seats before the last batch of votes was counted Monday and the Surrey seat flipped to the NDP.

Elections BC said the timing of the recounts is determined by the court and may include some or all of the ballots and certification envelopes.

Eby said he met with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin earlier Monday and she asked him to form the next government.

“After a close and hard-fought campaign, it’s now time to come together to deliver for people,” Eby said in a statement. “We will work hard every day to earn the trust you have placed in us.”

In a social media post, Rustad said he was proud to have led a party with no seats in the 2020 election to being the Opposition in the next legislature.

“I accept the results of this election. I thank our Elections BC workers for their hard and dedicated work,” he posted.

“I am ready to begin the important work of leading B.C.’s official Opposition. B.C.’s Conservative caucus is committed to holding government accountable and advocating for policies that reflect the best interests of all British Columbians.”

Eby scheduled a news conference Tuesday at the legislature in Victoria. Rustad also called a news conference in the capital for Tuesday afternoon.

Elections BC officials spent the weekend and Monday counting 43,000 mail-in and 22,000 absentee ballots.

The NDP win is the first time in B.C. history the New Democrats have taken three consecutive elections.

NDP House Leader Ravi Kahlon said he was “glad to see the numbers come in and I’m glad to see we can move forward.”

“It’s still going to require a lot of co-operation in the legislature,” he said in an interview. “We’re still going to be reaching out to the Greens to find ways to work with them.”

Kahlon said people have been telling him, “we don’t want another election, what we want is you guys to work it out.”

Kahlon suggested the NDP has plans to find a Speaker from within their ranks despite his party’s tight standings.

“We have good people who can do the job,” he said.

It was too early to say when the legislature would be recalled, he said, adding one of the first orders of business will be swearing in a new cabinet.

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said in a statement it appears the parties will have to work together for the legislature to function effectively.

She said earlier the two Green members elected to the legislature could play a pivotal role in the workings of the government.

Messages of congratulations came in late Monday from the B.C. Federation of Labour and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

“This victory marks an important step toward deeper reconciliation, respect for Indigenous rights, and a shared future built on partnership and commitment to address the climate emergency,” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said in a statement.

Rustad’s unlikely rise came after he was thrown out of the Opposition in 2022, then known as the BC Liberals, joined the B.C. Conservatives, quickly was acclaimed leader, and steered them to a level of popularity that led to the collapse of his old party, which had changed its name to BC United — all in just two years.

A group of former BC United MLAs running as Independents were all defeated, with Karin Kirkpatrick, Dan Davies, Coralee Oakes, Mike Bernier and Tom Shypitka losing to Conservatives.

Aisha Estey, president of the B.C. Conservative Party, said she spent the weekend in a warehouse watching the counting of mail-in ballots.

In a post on social media, she said: “Elections BC staff have been working tirelessly and doing their best within the confines of the legislation that governs their work.”

“Would we have liked mail-ins to be counted closer to (election day)? Sure,” she added. “But I saw nothing that caused me concern.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2024.

Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press