The BC Liberals now have a full slate of 85 candidates for the May 14 election, with the announcement today that mortgage broker Amanda Jacobson will run for the Nanaimo-North Cowichan seat.

In a press release, Jacobson said she is looking forward to providing "a future of sensible, balanced budgets" for her constituents. The 32-year-old lives in Ladysmith and has also worked in law firms and as a proofreader at the Edmonton Journal.

The NDP's Doug Routley has won the riding's last two elections, and is confident about his chances this time around.

"Having been around the BC Liberals’ record for the last two terms, I'm pretty familiar with what they've done," he said over the phone. "And I think we're pretty familiar with their shortcomings. The province has unacceptable levels of inequality."

Jacobson was not available for comment before deadline, but according to the press release plans to focus her campaign on the economy and recovering debt.

She said a free enterprise government is the best way to ensure the next generation has access to education and healthcare "without being saddled with mountains of debt."

And she commented on the NDP fiscal platform in the press release, saying it "means more taxes, more borrowing and bigger deficits for her children and grandchildren to pay off."

Jacobson joins other Nanaimo-North Cowichan candidates, the NDP's Routley, BC Conservative John Sherry and BC Green Mayo McDonough.

Meghan Mast is completing a practicum at The Tyee. Follow her on Twitter @mastmeghan.