David Eby's B.C. NDP are projected to lead a minority government in the province, after a nail-biting election that put Eby and B.C. Conservative John Rustad neck-and-neck.
Saturday night, or Election Day on Oct. 19, ended with the race being too close to call as Elections BC reported 97 per cent of total ballot boxes reported before midnight.
On Sunday, Elections BC announced that all ballot boxes had been tabulated through the new electronic process administered for the province's 43rd election. While a final count is set for Oct. 26 to 28, to which no MLA elect will be officially declared until then, B.C. NDP has secured the most votes and thus the most seats, at 46 to the Conservatives 45; not quite the 47 needed to have a majority across the 93-seat legislature.
As well, two key ridings – Juan de Fuca-Malahat and Surrey City Centre – will undergo an official recount as the New Democrats and Conservatives are separated by less than 100 votes. Any other ridings that have the projected leader beating the next in line by less than 1/500ths of the total vote are also open to a judicial recount.
In a statement Sunday, Eby reiterated what he said the night prior from B.C. NDP headquarters in Vancouver: "To British Columbians who voted for change, I hear you and the serious message you have sent. We have not done enough and we must do better."
He added that his party will continue to focus on affordability, housing, safe communities and curbing climate change.
On Saturday evening, Eby acknowledged that Rustad and the Conservative's message resonated in the frustrations of many British Columbians. Eby also praised B.C. Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau, who lost her bid to sit in the legislature, for running a "strong and principled campaign" in signalling them.
"There are many values we share in common with the Green Party and I am committed to work them on our common interests."
Rustad, meanwhile, used his Saturday night speech to B.C. Conservative supporters, also in Vancouver, to first frame the rise of the party from decades of obscurity to the very edge of government –evidence that people "were hungry for common-sense change" in the province, he said.
"We have not yet given up this fight -- we are going to keep pushing hard," he told the crowd in reference to the tight results.
And if the B.C. NDP were to form a government, they should not get too comfortable.
"If we are in that situation, we are going to make it as difficult as possible for this NDP to do any more destruction to this province," he said. If Conservatives were to find themselves in opposition, they will look to end a future Eby minority government at the earliest opportunity, he added.
Much like in 2017, the B.C. Greens may be positioned to play a key role in the future of the province.
The Greens will retain two seats, with Rob Botterell victorious in Saanich North and the Islands and Jeremy Valeriote winning in West Vancouver-Sea to Sky.
None of the 40 or so Independent candidates were victorious, raising the prospect of a minority government with the Greens holding the balance of power.
Furstenau lost to the NDP's Grace Lore after switching ridings to Victoria-Beacon Hill, but said she was "so excited" for her two colleagues, calling their wins "incredible."
"This is a passing of the torch and I am going to be there to mentor and guide and lead in any way that I can," she told her supporters in Victoria.
UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said B.C. has truly entered a polarized political environment.
"We have two leading parties with seemingly little regard for each other, about to co-habitate the legislature."
B.C. saw an estimated 2 million people cast their ballots – half of those doing so during the six days of advance voting. Amid an atmospheric river, B.C.'s total voter turnout was 57 per cent, compared to 53.86 per cent in the 2020 snap election and 61.18 per cent in 2017.
"Younger voters are turning away from incumbents everywhere, feeling overlooked by the system," Prest said. "The NDP will have to find a way to win some of them back or face a worse outcome next time."
