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

Environment Canada warns parts of northern B.C. that -50 C wind chill could be coming

Environment Canada is warning parts of northern British Columbia to expect wind chill values as cold as -50 C for at least the rest of the week. An extreme cold warning issued for the Peace River region says an arctic ridge over the province means temperatures will remain between -30 and -40 C until Sunday.

Environment Canada warns parts of northern B.C. that -50 C wind chill could be coming

Vancouver police say jaywalking pedestrian pulled gun, started shooting at driver

A man has been arrested after a near-collision in Vancouver resulted in a pedestrian pulling out a gun and shooting at a driver. Police say the shooting happened Saturday on Commercial Drive near E. 12th Avenue. They say a motorist stopped abruptly to avoid hitting a jaywalker, and the two exchanged words.

Vancouver police say jaywalking pedestrian pulled gun, started shooting at driver

Winter weather settles in over B.C. with warning of treacherous roads, avalanche risk

British Columbia's government is warning residents of treacherous roads, cold temperatures and dangerous avalanche conditions as the year's first blast of winter settles in. The Ministry of Emergency Management said after a warm start to winter, the forecast has returned to what is more seasonal and will remain that way for the days and weeks ahead.

Winter weather settles in over B.C. with warning of treacherous roads, avalanche risk

16 cars damaged in Saanich

Police in Greater Victoria are investigating a recent string of vehicle vandalism and asking for the public's help to identify a suspect. They say 16 vehicles were vandalized in Saanich over a week between December 29th and last Friday, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars' worth of damages.

16 cars damaged in Saanich

Volunteer search and rescue leaders allege mistreatment by B.C. government

The former head of the B.C. Search and Rescue Association says the group's volunteer personnel have been bullied, threatened and disrespected by the province's Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

Volunteer search and rescue leaders allege mistreatment by B.C. government

RCMP to begin collecting, analyzing race-based data in pilot project

The RCMP says it will begin collecting race-based data in select locations this month to better understand interactions between police and people in various communities. The pilot project follows two years of consultations across Canada.