B.C. Election Day: Voters in Okanagan and around B.C. cast their ballots

It's election day in B.C. and residents in the Okanagan and around B.C. are heading to the polls to choose MLAs to represent them for the next four years.

Published Oct 19, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

From left, B.C. Tory Leader John Rustad, NDP Leader David Eby and Green party Leader Sonia Furstenau. Photo by POSTMEDIA

It’s election day in B.C. and residents in the Okanagan and around B.C. are heading to the polls to choose MLAs to represent them for the next four years.

For information on how to cast your vote in your area, click here. And here is the list of candidates in the Okanagan and elsewhere.

If you’re still deciding who to vote for, check out our handy guide outlining 12 hot topics and where the three major parties stand on each one HERE. And you can read more about what’s at stake in this year’s election for Okanagan and other B.C. residents below.

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Follow our live blog HERE throughout the day and night for the latest election news from around B.C., and we’ll keep this post updated tonight with Okanagan and B.C. election results and reaction. You can also learn more about how the votes will be counted HERE.

The B.C. Interior and the North have been fertile ground for right-of-centre parties for decades.

First under Social Credit and then under the B.C. Liberal party.

In the 2020 election, the B.C. Liberals won 18 of 24 seats.

The NDP only won seats in northwest B.C., the Kootenays, Vernon in the Okanagan and in Boundary-Similkameen, which includes Princeton, Osoyoos and Oliver.

Now that the B.C. United (the new name of the B.C. Liberals) have dropped out, expect it to be rich ground for the B.C. Conservatives.

One seat has been added, so now 25 ridings are being contested.

The question for the NDP is how many seats will they be able to hold onto.

Ridings to watch out for include Boundary-Similkameen, which was won by Roly Russell for the NDP in 2020 but had been held by the B.C. Liberals the previous four elections.

Another riding to watch is Skeena in northern B.C., which has flipped between the NDP and right-of-centre parties for decades. The last three elections were won by the B.C. Liberals, but was held by the NDP in the previous three elections.

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The NDP are vulnerable in Vernon-Lumby where they won in 2020, after eight wins by right-of-centre parties dating to 1991.

Another big question for the Interior and the North is what role will independent candidates play?

When B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon, in a shocking move, announced the party would run no candidates to consolidate the right-of-centre vote behind the surging Tories, some United candidates decided to run as Independents.

Those include Dan Davies in Peace River North, Mike Bernier in Peace River South, Coralee Oakes in Prince George-North Cariboo and Tom Shypitka in Kootenay-Rockies.

Historically, Independents don’t fare well in provincial elections, although Vicky Huntington won as an Independent in Delta South in 2009 and 2013.

The B.C. Liberals won with big margins in the four North and Interior ridings, so it could be a tough hurdle to overcome for the former B.C. United candidates.

B.C. pollster Mario Canseco said that’s also true because the candidates no longer have a party “machine” to help them get out the vote.

Canseco said there’s also a question of whether people ultimately prefer to vote for someone who they believe can form government.

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“You might be very happy with your Independent candidate, and you know your Independent candidate, but is this something that is going to materialize (vote for them) on election day?” said Canseco.

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Read more of our B.C. election coverage in these municipalities:

• Vancouver
• Surrey
• Burnaby
• Richmond and Delta
• Langley
• North Vancouver and West Vancouver
• Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and New Westminster
• Maple Ridge and Port Moody
• Abbotsford and Chilliwack
• Okanagan and around B.C.
• Vancouver Island

RACE FOR B.C.: Follow our coverage of the 2024 B.C. election campaign HERE. Not yet a subscriber? Please click HERE for a special subscription offer.

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