The final make-up of the next provincial legislature remains unknown as two ridings are headed for a recount and several others are close enough they could change hands after absentee ballots are counted.
Of the province's 85 electoral districts, 16 ridings were won by less than five per cent of the vote. After the preliminary count, the B.C. Liberals hold 49 seats and the B.C. NDP 36.
Final results will not be known until after the three-day final count period which begins May 25.
At that time the Delta South and Cariboo-Chilcotin ridings will both have recounts, which are allowed when 100 votes or less separate the two leading candidates.
B.C. Liberal candidate Wally Oppal led his opponent Independent Vicki Huntington in Delta South by only two votes. And in Cariboo-Chilcotin, NDP candidate Charlie Wyse holds a slim 23-vote lead over Liberal candidate Donna Barnett.
Absentee ballots will also be counted for all 85 ridings across the province during the final ballot count. These include mail-in ballots, votes from residents who cast their ballot outside their assigned location, and special voting from places such as hospitals, isolated communities and logging camps.
Historically, these ballots have accounted for five to seven per cent of total ballots in any given electoral district, which could be enough to tip seats with small vote margins.
In addition to the ridings headed for a recount, a few others are being watched closely.
Both Maple Ridge ridings were separated by less than 200 votes, or around one per cent of total valid ballots. Seats in the two Saanich ridings were separated by less than two per cent.
Garrett Zehr reports for The Tyee.
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Frank
3 years ago
Kudos to FPTP
"Of the province's 85 electoral districts, 16 ridings were won by less than five per cent of the vote."
That's pathetic, why would people bother to show up to vote when 69 seats are totally safe?
But no, we don't need a new electoral system I guess.
grub
3 years ago
@ Frank...
I see we're beating the same drum...
I don't know where to turn. Any suggestions?
I have this odd sense that a solitary sympathetic ear might in fact be (dare I suggest it) Gordo himself. In an odd sort of way, I think, if enough pressure were put on him - persuasive debate - some sort of reform might still be possible... I dunno.... just a hunch....
Wilfred Laurier
3 years ago
Reform
The only reform an NDPer wants is a socialist one party state.
grub
3 years ago
Wilfrid Laurier
Now that`s a useful contribution to the debate...
southdeltawalker
3 years ago
Delta South-"Dirty Win?"
Looks like Oppal has managed to pick up another vote. So his lead is now 3 votes.
The Liberals had 250 people working on election day here.
They dragged out everyone they could. The sick, the nearly dead...anyone who could feebly put an X beside Oppal's name.
The B C Liberals played dirty tricks such as taking down signs and using peoples photos in campaign flyers without their consent.
Oppal was arrogant at all candidate meetings and was booed.
If Oppal wins-it will be a "dirty win" and this community be even more divided.
The only hope is for Huntington to win.
RossK
3 years ago
Grub wonders....
"I have this odd sense that a solitary sympathetic ear might in fact be (dare I suggest it) Gordo himself....."
I have kinda/sorta/almost thought that might be possible also.
But.
Then I snap out of my reverie when I slap myself up the side of the head with the knowledge that it was Mr. Campbell himself who rammed Bill 42 (a.k.a. 'The Voter Suppression Project') through the Ledge last spring.
I, for one, am convinced that the egregious ID Law portions of that bill were designed to favour Mr. Campbell's party when things are close.
.
Otis Krayola
3 years ago
Wilf's motto:
"Never miss an opportunity to say someting moronic"
For the record, I'm a member of the NDP, but I'm a small-d democrat as well, so I'm not looking for a one-party state. I also long for election reform.
dave49
3 years ago
BC Elections BC & Delta South?
Take a look at this page on the BC Elections website:
http://www.elections.bc.ca/docs/stats/2009-ge-ref/GE-2009-05-12_Party.html
For Delta South it shows the Independent with 9675 votes and Liberals with 9620 votes, a margin of 55 votes. It shows 117 of 117 polls counted.
Dare I ask, what gives?
brg61
3 years ago
dave49...delta south
Delta south had two independent on the ballot; the page showing 9675 adds their votes together. Elections BC has a second page listing all candidates with votes and percentage.
brg61
3 years ago
Wilf....
Re: "one party state"
Your 1950's rhetoric wont fly in this new century. Most savvy republicans are embarrassed by Rush Limbaugh's moronic rants. The cold war stuff is deader than Stalin.
And by the way the only "one party" state in this country is Alberta.
Skywalker
3 years ago
How about simple reform
Keep 85 constituencies, have a run-off election with the bottom candidate dropping off until one has 50% plus one. That one probably would fly.