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

Elenore Sturko leaves BC United party for Conservatives to 'defeat the NDP'

Another BC United member has left the party to join the Conservative Party of BC just months before the provincial election. Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko says in a statement that she's joining the provincial Conservatives to "rebuild the coalition that's needed to defeat the NDP."

Elenore Sturko leaves BC United party for Conservatives to 'defeat the NDP'

Vancouver driver arrested after crashing into vehicles, narrowly missing pedestrians

Vancouver police say they are recommending multiple dangerous driving and impaired driving charges for a man who crashed his car into several other vehicles and nearly hit pedestrians downtown last week. They say the driver of a white Mercedes allegedly "smashed into and sideswiped" a grey Mazda CX5 on Alberni Street around 10 p.m. on Friday.

Vancouver driver arrested after crashing into vehicles, narrowly missing pedestrians

IIO investigating man's death after officer shooting in Mackenzie

British Columbia's police watchdog is investigating police actions after a man was shot and killed by an officer in Mackenzie, B.C. The BC RCMP say they received a report of a man trying to cash a fraudulent cheque at a bank around 2 p.m. on Saturday.

IIO investigating man's death after officer shooting in Mackenzie

Victoria bus fleet affected by Transport Canada recall: BC Transit

BC Transit says several buses in its Victoria fleet are affected by a Transport Canada recall. The agency says a number of its CNG Vicinity Motor Corp. buses contain a manufacturer part that was in the recall.

Victoria bus fleet affected by Transport Canada recall: BC Transit

B.C. RCMP, Squamish Search and Rescue looking for missing climbers

A spokeswoman for Squamish Search and Rescue in British Columbia says an "active search" is underway for three experienced mountaineers who have been missing since Friday. Christy Allan says in an interview that the climbers were last seen Friday morning on Atwell Peak, located on the southern edge of Mount Garibaldi.

B.C. RCMP, Squamish Search and Rescue looking for missing climbers

Environment Canada issues rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley

Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, with up to 60 millimetres expected by Monday morning. It says the warning comes as a moisture laden Pacific frontal system moves into the south coast of British Columbia, bringing heavy rain.