National

B.C. election: NDP takes lead in key riding, putting Eby on track for majority

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Oct, 2024 12:20 PM

The NDP has overtaken the B.C. Conservatives in the ongoing count of absentee votes in a crucial Metro Vancouver riding, putting Premier David Eby on course to win government with a razor-thin majority.

Final count continues today. We have updated results on our website and will update results hourly until final count is complete. Find the updates here: https://t.co/m9nVXkpnMa
— Elections BC (@ElectionsBC) October 28, 2024

The NDP now leads Surrey-Guildford by 14 votes and if it hangs on there and in other races, it would have a one-seat majority in the 93-riding legislature.

Elections BC officials are counting more than 22,000 absentee and special ballots provincewide today, nine days after the province’s election.

We knew this was going to be a close election, but we’ve been here before. BCers support our fair election process and the people at Elections BC making sure every vote gets counted.

Thanks to candidates, volunteers & election workers who make democracy work.
— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) October 27, 2024

The Conservatives had been ahead in the closest race of Surrey-Guildford by 12 votes going into the tally, but there were an estimated 226 votes still to count and each hourly update saw that lead whittled away.

Our movement is only beginning. #bcpoli https://t.co/y8yOGNwS1m pic.twitter.com/svFI9XeUYU
— Conservative Party of BC (@Conservative_BC) October 27, 2024

In a noon update by the elections authority, the NDP was elected or leading in 47 seats, while John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives were leading or elected in 44 and the Greens had won two seats.

A count of more than 43,000 mail-in and assisted telephone votes over the weekend put the NDP within range of victory in Surrey-Guildford, sending the race down to the absentee ballots.

While today’s absentee vote could finally produce a winner in the election, there could still be judicial recounts in any riding where the margin is less than 1/500th of all votes cast.

In Surrey-Guildford, where an estimated 19,306 votes were cast, the margin for a judicial recount is about 38 votes or fewer.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to visit China after years-long rift

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is headed to China on Friday at the invitation of Beijing, after years of diplomatic strain following the 2018 detention of two Canadians. In recent months, China has urged Canada to work on shared priorities and draw less attention to disagreements.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to visit China after years-long rift

Canadians should remind American neighbours of important relationship: ambassador

As Donald Trump prepares to speak at the Republican National Convention, Canada’s ambassador to the United States is urging Canadians to talk to Americans about the countries' important relationship. Tonight will be the first time Trump, who has been confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate, will speak publicly since an assassination attempt at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania.

Canadians should remind American neighbours of important relationship: ambassador

'Major damage': Vandalism at federal immigration minister's office in Montreal

Police say the Montreal constituency office of federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller was vandalized overnight. Outside, windows were smashed and walls were defaced with paint and graffiti.

'Major damage': Vandalism at federal immigration minister's office in Montreal

Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan leaving cabinet, Trudeau confirms

Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan is stepping down from cabinet and will not be seeking re-election in the next federal contest, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Thursday. A statement from that office said a replacement for O'Regan would be sworn in at Rideau Hall on Friday.

Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan leaving cabinet, Trudeau confirms

''Tactical evacuations' as B.C. Interior wildfire grows: minister

British Columbia's minister for emergency management says "tactical evacuations" have been carried out in the Thompson-Nicola area of the province's Interior, where an out-of-control wildfire is threatening communities. Bowinn Ma told a news briefing in Kamloops that the Shetland Creek fire grew "quickly and considerably last night."

''Tactical evacuations' as B.C. Interior wildfire grows: minister

Door to door pranks in Surrey

Mounties in Surrey are investigating door-knock pranks after multiple residences were damaged. Police say a decades-old prank known as Nicky nicky nine doors, has devolved into cases of harassment and mischief as an ongoing frenzy of pranks takes place in the neighbourhoods of Newton and South Surrey.