B.C. NDP wins razor-thin majority after marathon vote count; two recounts pending

By Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press on October 28, 2024.

An Elections B.C. sign is seen covered in rain on election day in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

VICTORIA – The B.C. New Democrats have won a majority of seats after a final count of the votes in the provincial election.

But Elections B.C. says two of the seats, Kelowna Centre and Surrey-Guildford, are so close there will be automatic judicial recounts.

In Kelowna Centre, the difference between the B.C. Conservatives and the NDP is 38 votes and the threshold for a recount is 49.

In Surrey-Guildford, the threshold for a recount is 38 votes and the difference between the top two candidates is 27.

A majority government requires 47 seats and that’s exactly what the NDP and Premier David Eby got, ahead of John Rustad’s Conservatives at 44.

The Greens won two seats.

Eby says he has already met with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin and she asked him to form the next government.